Light the Blue Touch Paper and Run Like Hell
by Quatermass
Summary: "So, in summary, you are sending me to wage a prank war on history and myth's so-called greatest heroes and a sextet of upstart magic users, all for a dubious prize. I'm in." Given a second chance by Zelretch after falling from the Bifrost, Loki, partnered with a beautiful Caster, will wreak havoc on the Fourth Grail War...and perhaps find salvation...
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

Sometimes, success can come from failure. And while it is too soon to mark this story down as a success, it will hopefully start out better than its original form.

You see, I wanted to do yet another Harry Potter and _Fate/Zero_ crossover, which was pretty insane. I wanted to do a story where Medea is summoned by Harry during the events of _Fate/Zero_. But the more I looked at it, the more I realised that the spark wasn't there. I wasn't writing the interactions between Harry and Medea right, which given that I wanted to ship them, was turning out disastrous. And there's only so many ways I could have Harry end up in the Nasuverse. Indeed, it was coming out as a second-rate rehash in many regards of _Ex Umbra in Solem_ , despite Harry not being the Master of Death in the original version of this story.

But inspiration strikes at the oddest times. I haven't done any fics, as of writing this foreword, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But that would change. I realised that Medea and Loki are very much alike in many regards, and as there didn't seem to be any marked crossovers between _Thor_ and _Fate/Stay Night_ to date, I thought, in the interests of being groundbreaking (I have done some firsts on this website in terms of crossovers: _Black Mage of Kuoh_ and _Anchor of Ultimecia_ are the most successful, though I have soft spots for _Quatermass and the Doctor_ and _L for Luna_ , both crossovers with old TV science fiction serials, namely the Quatermass serials where I get my name, and _A for Andromeda_ ), I would be the first to do so. Imagine the chaos Loki will inflict on the Nasuverse.

The title, incidentally, was originally intended for a different one, a crossover between Harry Potter and _Fate/Stay Night_. You can see the original story with this title in _The Cauldron_ , or at least the first two chapters. It's a reference to a warning they used to have on fireworks: _Light the blue touch paper and retire immediately_.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both _Thor_ and _Fate/Zero_.

Secondly, there will be heavy annotations, as is usual for my works. You have been warned.

Thirdly, this is an M-Rated work. There will be coarse language, violence, and sexual references. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. _Thor_ and _Fate/Zero_ are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Gilgamesh will turn you into mince with his Gate of Babylon…


	2. Chapter 1: Liesmith, Vampire, Killer

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **LIESMITH, VAMPIRE, KILLER, WITCH**

He had fallen. In every sense of the word, he had fallen. In status, in mind, and rather too literally. His last sight before the vortex left behind by the destroyed Bifrost consumed him was of his father and brother…no, his adopted father and brother, watching him fall, false sorrow. It was very well-acted: that cry of anguish…Loki didn't think his idiot brother had it in him to be such a good actor.

They didn't care, though. He was a Frost Giant, adopted out of pity. And he had never fit in anyway, sneered at behind his back for his more intellectual ways, for his study of magic more than the arts of war. Of those on Asgard, only his mother, he was sure, had treated him with truly genuine kindness, and even that was now suspect in light of what Odin had told him.

He had hoped to die. So when he woke up in what seemed to be an old-fashioned office, lined with books and magical paraphernalia, and, oddly enough, what looked like a couple of posters from human media, showing teenaged girls in odd, elaborate outfits, wielding staves, well, he was understandably confused. And a little annoyed. If this was Valhalla, or Hel, or wherever the Asgardians or Frost Giants went where they died, well, he had been expecting something better on the other side(1).

"I see that you are awake, Loki of Asgard."

The voice was deep, resonant, and held an undertone of amusement. Loki leapt to his feet, and readied himself to fight, only to halt when he saw the man. He was a powerfully built old man with a beard that reminded him of Odin…if Odin ever deigned to wear the robes of some sort of mage. Loki's first impulse was to attack, but he halted himself before he did so. There was a feeling of power coming from the man, despite the red eyes twinkling with mirth. And after a moment, Loki's ability to discern what others were like, all the better to pull their strings, had him relax slightly. He recognised a fellow prankster and trickster. The man might be physically strong, but he clearly used his mind. And also loved to show up the idiots who thought themselves superior to others.

"You know my name, but I am at a disadvantage, as I do not know yours," Loki said, as calmly and levelly as he could. "May I know it?"

"But of course. I am Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg."

Loki blinked in disbelief. He had heard of that name. A name that frequently instilled horror and fear, a dread that one would soon be humiliated. A vampire who could travel across universes as readily as one would walk down a street, and who had a penchant for pranks. Even Odin feared him, and that was saying something.

If Loki knew what a fanboy was, he would know that the feelings of utter adoration and joy and worship he felt towards Zelretch were those of a fanboy. But he didn't. And in any case, while his feelings towards Asgard were ambivalent, he nonetheless intended to maintain decorum and dignity in the manner that his adopted parents raised him in. Which was why, instead of descending into babbling excitement where his silver tongue would fail him, he brought himself under control, allowed himself a tight, but somewhat genuine smile, and said, "I'm a great admirer of your work."

"And I yours," Zelretch said. "At least for the most part. But as much as I'd love to speak with you, and as much as the reverse is true, I'm afraid time is of the essence, Loki. I happened to be looking in on your universe when you fell, and the vortex you fell into intersected with my own magic, the Kaleidoscope. Had it not been for my serendipitous intervention, you would have fallen into the hands of Thanos, the Mad Titan. And from there…"

"I am guessing it would not have ended well?" Loki asked.

"Not at all. Given all that you went through, and all that you have done, you would have fallen under his control."

"I would not have let myself be controlled by the will of Thanos," Loki sneered.

"It would not necessarily have been anything as simple as mind control, not wholly. Like you, Thanos knows how to say the right things to people when he puts his mind to it. He would have set you on a path of conquest that would have ended with you beaten and estranged from your family. You may not wish to hear it, but they still harbour affection for you, despite your actions against Thor and Jotunheim. Even as I speak, they mourn your passing."

"You lie," Loki snarled quietly, not wanting to admit the truth to himself. Even in the best case scenario, where they gave a damn about him, why would they mourn him after attacking Thor? After renouncing him because he dared to try and wipe the blight of the Frost Giants from the Nine Realms?

"The truth is a more painful prospect than a lie, but that is beside the point. Thanos would have set you on the road to conquest and failure…but I, however, have something considerably more entertaining in mind. And I would like your help."

Loki recognised the smirk on the old man's face as Zelretch sat down behind a desk. It was the smirk Loki himself bore when he was planning a particularly spectacular prank. And despite himself, Loki was intrigued. No, more than intrigued. "I'm listening. _Intently_ ," Loki said.

"You are currently on a version of Midgard, of Earth, where magic-users, known as Magi, exist in secret. Asgard has not existed for some time, though your legends live on. We are currently in London, England. On the other side of the world, in Fuyuki City, Japan, a tournament between Magi is set to take place: the Holy Grail War."

"You mean the drinking cup the Christians bleat about?" Loki asked.

"Not exactly. It is a magical artifact that can grant a single wish, or, more correctly, is a means of accessing Akasha, the Root of All Things. A noosphere recording all that is, was, and shall be. Seven Magi will compete in the Holy Grail War, and will fight using heroes from myth and history, aka Heroic Spirits, as familiars known as Servants. When six of the seven Servants are slain, that is when the Grail is ready to grant the wish. I should know: I was one of those brought in to help create the Grail War centuries ago."

"As fascinating as this is, I fail to see what this has to do with me," Loki said.

"Do you not have a desire for the Grail?"

"Of course. But unlike that oaf Thor, who would go charging in like an imbecile, I would like to know the facts first. And such a powerful wish-granting device would have a number of strings attached. Can it summon gods?"

"No. Demigods and fragments of gods can be summoned, like Heracles or Gilgamesh or Tamamo-no-Mae, but not deities. And here, your people were deities rather than from another world. Here. I wrote this for people, but nobody ever wants to read it. They think I'm trying to prank them. The only one brave enough to do so was that Waver boy." Zelretch handed over a yellow-covered book, which Loki took, and frowned when he saw the title. _The Grail War for Dummies?_ Loki snorted. "In any case, six of the seven Servants have been summoned," Zelretch said. "Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Assassin, and Berserker. However, Caster is yet to be summoned. But Caster will be soon, and I believe he will cause an inordinate amount of chaos with his Master. And while I enjoy chaos, it would be far from a funny kind, as they delight in torture and murder of children and families. Therefore, in the interest of both safeguarding innocent life and sowing humorous discord…I will be sending you to be a fly in the ointment."

"For your entertainment?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"And yours."

"I see." Loki pursed his lips in contemplation. But in truth, the decision was already made. "So, in summary, you are sending me to wage a prank war on history and myth's so-called greatest heroes and a sextet of upstart magic users, all for a dubious prize." A vicious grin lit up his features. "As the humans say, 'I'm in'."

"Good. It's time to light the blue touch paper, and run like hell." Zelretch handed him an object, something that seemed like golden wool. "You'll need this. Summoning a Servant requires a catalyst if you want a specific one, and I believe that this Servant will be perfect for your requirements."

* * *

Travelling via Kaleidoscope was very much an experience, especially when one wasn't actually travelling between parallel realities. So Loki was, admittedly, somewhat disoriented when he found himself in a darkened room. He was lucky he had the foresight to cast a translation charm on himself so that he could understand the crazed babble of the red-haired human in front of him. "Oh, wow! A demon already?" the young man gushed. "But I hadn't finished the ritual yet!"

Loki took the time to look around. What he saw in the room disgusted him. Blood everywhere, the corpses of two adult humans…and a child, bound and gagged near the young man. While he didn't really care about the lives of humans, especially as Thor and Odin seemed so damned fond of them, he found himself disgusted at the sadistic slaughter.

Loki had dressed himself in a rather elegant suit for the occasion. And then, he said, quietly, "Greetings. I am Loki of Asgard. And I am burdened with glorious purpose."

The young man said, "Oh. Umm, well, I'm Ryuunosuke Uryu. Are you a demon? I thought Loki was a god or something from Norse mythology."

"Indeed. But many think of me as a demon. That being said, I was sent here as…technical support." Loki pursed his lips at the unusual phrase Zelretch had told him to use. "I will help you summon your assigned demon."

"Really? Oh, wow, I didn't think demons had tech support!" Ryuunosuke cheered.

 _Imbecile_ , Loki thought. He then pulled out the book Zelretch had given him, albeit transfigured to look like an eldritch tome with a cover made of…

"Wow, is that human skin?" Ryuunosuke asked.

 _Next, he'll be expecting me to say **Cthulhu fhtagn**_ , Loki thought(2). He opened it up to the page Zelretch had bookmarked, held the book in one hand, and the golden fleck of wool in the other. The human had done the rest of the ritual properly, so all that was needed was the chant, and to supply the ritual circle on the floor, made from the blood of these people, with mana.

" _Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning! I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world, that I shall defeat all evil in the world! Seventh Heaven clad, and the great words of power, come forth from the circle of bindings, Guardian of the Scales!_ "

The ritual circle began to crackle with energy, shortly before it flared with brilliant white light. He felt a stinging pain on his hand, and an elaborate blood red sigil seemed to etch itself into his hand. And he felt a pull, a drain on his magic. As he blinked the afterimage away from his eyes, he realised that something…or rather, _someone_ was in the ritual circle.

The figure wore dark robes in black and purple that made them look foreboding. Elegant and elaborate, with a hood covering much of their face. He realised with a start that the figure was a woman, though all he could see of her face was her nose and lips. Lavender hair ended just out of the hood, an oddity to say the least.

"Servant Caster has answered your summons," the woman said, her voice almost a sultry purr if it weren't for the serious tone, and strangely accented. "I ask of you, are you my Master?"

Loki, recovering himself, grinned as he held up his hand, the one with the Command Seals. "I do believe I am, Caster."

"Hey, what?!" Ryuunosuke demanded. "What the hell is this? You lied to me!"

"I am Loki, I am known to do so," Loki retorted.

"He's somewhat loud," Caster remarked, silencing Ryuunosuke and stilling him with a wave of her hand. She then frowned. "Did you say your name was Loki?"

"Indeed. We will get to more extended introductions in a moment. We have a rabid dog to deal with. He seemed to think he was summoning a demon."

"I am no demon, though in life, I was unjustly considered to be one, and worse."

"What a coincidence," Loki said. "So was I."

Caster nodded, before she went over to the boy and untied him carefully, and whispered in his ear. The boy's terrified eyes glazed over, before he ran out. She then took Ryuunosuke, whispering into his ear, before suddenly shoving him down viciously, and causing him to slip on the bloody sigil, before he fell, and broke his neck when he hit a nearby coffee table. "This vile man murdered the boy's parents, and had slipped and fell in a bad way, breaking his neck. The boy managed to free himself from his bonds and escape, and is even as we speak heading to the nearest police station, as this man has cut the phone lines. I will remove the evidence we were here. But we should not linger."

Loki nodded. He knew the benefits of a tactical retreat in order to avoid the splatter when the excrement hit the fan. Still, he was in this little tournament, for better and for worse. Perhaps he would be able to get some fun out of it…

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Wow. This actually feels so much better than the versions I wrote with Harry. Loki's such a delight to write for. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this.**

 **1\. A paraphrase of a similar line from _Doctor Who: Terminus_.**

 **2\. This is, of course, what Gilles de Rais' Caster does when he first meets Ryuunosuke.**


	3. Chapter 2: Master and Servant

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **MASTER AND SERVANT**

Medea of Colchis, known as the Witch of Betrayal, considered her Master carefully as he walked along the streets, her body currently astralized. He did claim to be Loki, after all, a figure of some infamy in the Norse pantheon that had arisen after her death (something the Grail had told her about). The irony of the Witch of Betrayal being summoned by a traitor to Asgard was not lost on her.

He was tall and lean, with a strange energy like a coiled spring in his demeanour, despite seemingly relaxed and calm. His handsome, aquiline features gave him a vaguely hungry look, like a starving beast, while a smile seemed to play perpetually about his features. Long black hair framed said features. The mana he was supplying her with was exquisite. She hadn't felt this powerful even in life.

Yet despite his assured gait and posture, there was something painful and broken in his green eyes. Medea knew she had been summoned by a very dangerous Master indeed. He was a powerful magic user in his own right, that much she knew. That being said, it could work to their advantage to obtain the Grail.

They made their way to a rather snazzy hotel, before Loki brought out a rather large wad of banknotes. She would later learn he had been given those by a man called Zelretch. Having obtained a very nice room under the name of Erik Selvig (something that gave him some mirth, to her confusion), the two of them went up in the elevator. As they did so, Medea sensed something. " _Master_ ," she said over their mental link, " _I sense another Servant in this hotel._ "

" _Very well, Caster. Are you capable of concealing your presence when de-astralized?_ "

" _Of course._ "

" _Then we should have no problem_ ," Loki replied.

" _I also sense a number of magical traps and barriers. There are bound spirits acting as attack dogs, portals to other worlds, and various other defences. It's on the same floor as the Servant. But not the one we are going to, thankfully. We are a floor below it._ "

A sardonic chuckle escaped Loki's lips. " _We will erect our own defences when we enter our room, Caster. Then, we will begin surveying the competition. I peeked into the concierge's mind when he booked our room. The residents of the room above us are Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, and a woman with the overly complicated name of Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri. One of those two is the enemy Master we seek._ "

* * *

Once they had erected their defences in the opulent hotel room (opulent by human standards, anyway: it had nothing on his room back in Asgard), Loki turned to Caster. "This should suffice as a base."

"Until we find the optimal locations for where the Grail shall materialise," Caster said, extracting a crystal ball from her robes.

Loki peered at the book he was given. "Well, according to this, three of the four possible locations, due to the leylines of the city, have particular landmarks: a Shinto temple called Ryuudou Temple, a church used by the Overseer of the Grail War, and the mansion of the Tohsaka family."

"Where did you get that book?"

"His name was Zelretch, a rather infamous prankster vampire. I come from another universe to this one, but even in Asgard, he was feared. He claimed to be one of those who set this Grail War up."

"And you trusted a Dead Apostle?" On his look, she clarified, "That is what we call vampires."

"I trusted him enough as a fellow prankster," Loki said. "And unlike my father, he at least explained things to me. Incidentally, how do you feel about pranks?"

Caster smirked. "Do you mean against the other Servants and Masters?"

"Of course."

"I would enjoy them immensely."

"Then we shall embark on a reign of terror against them the likes of which they have never seen before. The terror and uncertainty will reduce them to the level of mewling babes ere we crush them."

Caster nodded, before returning to her crystal ball. "Ah. This must be the mansion you spoke of. According to the information the Grail granted me, the Tohsakas are one of the founding families of the Grail War. One of them may very well be a Master. And the mana you have given to me has boosted my viewing spells. Oh!"

"What?"

"See for yourself," Caster said, indicating for Loki to come over and watch what she was watching in the crystal ball.

Loki peered at the image within the ball. Sneaking through a garden of a mansion was a figure in black clothing, and with a skull-like mask over his face. "At a guess, Assassin. I had a flick through this before I was brought here, and many of the Assassins are noted by their skull masks. They are one of the Hassan-i Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain, the hereditary title given to the leaders of the original Assassin organisation." Loki snorted as he watched the black-clad Servant. "He looks like he's dancing."

"He's navigating around Bounded Fields," Caster said.

"I know. But he looks like a few I knew in Asgard once they had one too many drinks."

Caster snorted. "He's making his way past magical barriers to a lodestone. See? If he removes that, the defences will be down."

"I know about magic, Caster, and I…" Loki was interrupted in his sentence when Assassin was interrupted in his own task. As the Assassin reached towards the stone, his hand was suddenly impaled by a spear. Caster gasped, and adjusted the picture, and found the culprit: a man in golden armour, standing on the roof of the nearby mansion.

"Another Servant?" Loki asked. "What ostentatious armour. The sad thing is, I have seen worse in Asgard."

Caster zoomed in on the Servant. The man in golden armour had a proud, arrogant bearing, his blonde hair swept upwards in spikes, his irises red, with feline slits for pupils. His voice, oozing disdain and contempt, emanated from the crystal ball. " _Who gave you permission to look upon me? You are not worthy to do so, and thus, you shall die like a worm should: your sight filled with dirt!_ " Suddenly, ripples in the air behind him appeared, lit with a golden glow, each ripple filled with a sword or a spear or weapon of some kind.

"That must be his Noble Phantasm," Caster murmured, zooming out again, just in time to see Assassin, along with a good chunk of the garden, annihilated by a hailstorm of spears and swords. It was quick and spectacular, leaving little more than a crater in the ground, swords and spears and other weapons sticking out of the soil.

Loki actually had to admit, it was impressive. And frightening. Not that he'd admit that. "Caster," he said out loud, "if that was his Noble Phantasm…was it me, or did he use multiple Noble Phantasms at once?"

"It certainly seemed that way," Caster admitted. "At a guess, I would say he is an Archer. Before you protest, Archers are masters of ranged combat. Not necessarily a bow: they can use guns or similar weapons…or a Noble Phantasm like this." Caster frowned. "That aside…there's something wrong here."

"Yes, I noticed too. According to this book, Assassin has a Presence Concealment ability automatically. It should have taken longer for Archer to detect him, but Archer was lying in wait."

"It's more than that, Master," Caster said. "I don't think Assassin would have been so careless, nor his Master. I think we should consider this a setup. There are Noble Phantasms Assassin could have used to cheat death, possibly."

"So we cannot assume Assassin is out of the race," Loki mused. "Can you focus your spell on the room of Archibald?"

"Certainly. I detected a number of familiars watching, and if his familiar was one of them, his reaction may be interesting…" Caster waved a hand over the crystal ball, and murmured a few words. The image rippled and changed.

The room revealed was, if anything, even more luxurious than the one above. A blonde-haired man with austere features was sitting, wearing a blue coat. Standing nearby was a red-haired woman with an air of grace and elegance. The third occupant of the room was a dark-haired man with handsome, even beautiful features, hazel eyes and a mole beneath his right eye. He was dressed in a figure-hugging suit.

"… _was annihilated by that Servant_ ," the woman mused in English. " _That being said, it's rather odd that Tohsaka exposed his Servant and the Noble Phantasm of that Servant so soon. And given the Kotomines' links with Tokiomi Tohsaka…_ "

" _It matters not, Sola-Ui_ ," the blonde proclaimed arrogantly. " _They have made a critical blunder by exposing Tohsaka's Servant and their Noble Phantasm. Still, that Servant, probably an Archer, is powerful. And I have received word from my contacts in Clock Tower that the von Einzbern representatives are arriving soon. And that treacherous little bastard Waver is somewhere in Fuyuki. I'll make him pay with his life for stealing Iskandar from me. Lancer, are you prepared for your first battle?_ "

" _I have been ready since you have summoned me, Master_ ," the dark-haired man said, his voice having an Irish lilt.

" _Good. We will be going on patrol tomorrow evening. With any luck, we will lure one of the enemy Servants out._ "

"He seems confident," Loki remarked.

" _Kayneth, darling_ ," Sola-Ui said, a touch of subtle venom entering her voice when she used the term of endearment, " _I think you should be careful._ " The caution seemed insincere.

" _I intend to be. With you supplying Lancer with mana, it allows me to utilise my own magecraft, should I need to, in addition to my having the Command Seals._ "

"Clever," Caster remarked. "He must've found a way to hold the Command Seals, while the woman acts as Lancer's power source."

"If we can target the woman, we can remove Lancer from play fairly early on, or at least force Lancer's true Master to shoulder the mana drain," Loki said with a smirk. "Caster, how good are the defences through the floor beneath them?"

Caster caught onto what he meant. She looked up to the ceiling, her hood falling back for the first time since he had met her, revealing her face. After a moment, she remarked, "Sadly, they're rather good. Though to be fair, if I can target Lancer…"

"Lancer?" And then, Loki had to confess, he was struck dumb when Caster looked back at him, her face now uncovered.

He had been expecting perhaps a more cruel visage, even if she was beautiful. Instead, her face was both regal and sad, elegant and lugubrious, framed by lavender hair. She was beautiful in a sorrowful way, and an exotic way, for she had pointed ears not unlike that of an elf.

"Yes," she said. "I can bring Lancer under my control." She fished around in her robes, and pulled out a ritual dagger with a strange, zig-zagging blade. "My Noble Phantasm: the Rule Breaker. Should I have enough mana to use it, it can break any magical contract. I can even break the link between Master and Servant…and rebind the Servant to my own will."

"Of course, you have to get close enough to use it," Loki remarked. "I could act as a distraction. Incidentally, how do I know you won't use it on yourself, to remove yourself from my service?"

Caster blinked, surprised and somewhat offended by the question. "Why would you ask me such a question?"

"It's what I would do in your place, had I the ability to use Rule Breaker. I find it hard to be under the yoke of another." _Especially knowing that I may have fallen under the influence of Thanos_ , Loki mused to himself. _I am nobody's thrall. Not Thanos, and not Odin_.

"Be that as it may, Master, but you wouldn't last long without a supply of mana. I would only do such a thing _in extremis_. You don't trust me?"

"I find it hard to trust anyone now, so while I'm sure you are offended, it is not at all personal, as clichéd as that sounds," Loki said bluntly. Caster seemed to take some small reassurance from that. "I am trusting you to a degree for now as you are dependent on my mana supply to remain in existence. That, and you seemed to like the idea of pranking the other Masters and Servants. Not to mention that, as a Caster, you have to be somewhat more judicious and intelligent about how you fight, which is a refreshing change from how most of Asgard likes to fight."

"Let me guess: they go charging in, screaming?"

"Indeed. While their leaders are mostly good enough at strategy, they are rather too linear in their thinking. They think magic to be the province of womenfolk and scholars, not of warriors, and deception to be the province of cowards. Humans, for all their weakness, at least understand the nature of deception better than Asgardians. Or the Frost Giants, for that matter," Loki said.

"Indeed. It's not easy, being the brains to someone else's brawn," Caster agreed.

"We are in accord with that much," Loki said. He held up his hand, the one with the Command Seals. "I won't use these unless I have to. I find myself a little uncomfortable with thraldom, and while this relationship is not one of equals, your cooperation is greatly appreciated. So too is your intelligence. As long as you explain what you are doing, then I won't object to any independent action you take, Caster."

"You are being generous," Caster said, though there was an undertone of annoyance at his earlier admission to his distrust of her.

"Perhaps. Incidentally, what is your name? Caster is merely your class, and while I won't reveal your name, I find myself curious."

Caster, after a moment, said, "How do I know you won't reject me?"

"You don't. But you have allied yourself with me, and you know enough about my myth, it seems, to know I can't be trusted."

"You have a point. Very well. I am Medea of Colchis."

Loki frowned when he heard the name. A name from the annals of Greek myth. The consort of Jason, thanks to the influence of Aphrodite, helping him win the Golden Fleece, and murdering her own brother to help him escape. But when he dumped Medea for another woman, Glauce, daughter of King Creon of Corinth…well, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "I see," he said. After a moment, he said, with a smirk, "I never expected you to have pointy ears."

Medea, taken aback, then smirked herself. "Oh? And is it true about you giving birth to Sleipnir, Odin's horse?"

Loki blinked, before scowling. "I don't know where those idiot skalds got that from, but it never happened like that."

Medea tittered. "Your denial is a bit damning, I think."

Loki snarled quietly in exasperation. For a moment, he felt tempted to show this woman, this witch, who was the boss. But as soon as the impulse came, it left. True, he had a very dangerous partner, one whose name was a byword for treachery. And yet…this partnership had potential. And in any case, her jest was a small one, even if it was embarrassing. To punish her merely for that was…an overreaction, unbefitting of a king. Because that was who he was, in the end. The rightful king to Asgard. Not Odin. Not Thor. Loki.

And given that his partner in this was Medea, the Princess of Colchis, he was in good company, at least…

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yes, it's a bit of a contrived coincidence for Loki to sign into the same hotel as Kayneth. Deal with it.**

 **We'll be looking more into Loki's trauma from the end of** ** _Thor_** **in the next chapter. At the moment, he's been trying to keep his mind off it. But soon, it will catch up with him…**

 **Review-answering time! I am, frankly, astonished at the sheer volume of positive reviews this story has gotten already. But I thought it'd tickle some people's fancies. I would have posted this chapter sooner, but this website's review system had glitched out. Again.**

 **Anyway, onto the reviews.** **Leicontis** **: You know what'd be worse? If they teamed up with Alucard from** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **. The multiverse wouldn't stand a chance…**

 **Angel Arcano92** **: No promises, but I will try.**

 **tamagat** **: Yes, this is my first Marvel crossover of any kind. And I am strongly considering Loki taking Medea back to the MCU.**

 **edboy4926** **: Unlike** ** _Ex Umbra in Solem_** **, I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with Kariya. But while Ronan and his hammer won't be making an appearance any time soon…well, let's just say that we'll see cameos from characters from** ** _Guardians of the Galaxy_** **later on. However, I think that Lancelot may be able to wield the hammer with the Infinity Stone in it, but not the Infinity Stone itself.**

 **MrBaux** **: I'll have to think about it.**

 **No numbered annotations this time…**


	4. Chapter 3: Morning Preparations

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **MORNING PREPARATIONS**

It was an uneasy sleep that Loki woke from the next day. He had dreams, dreams of the past. Memories attacking him relentlessly and mercilessly. Of the events leading to Thor's banishment, events that Loki thought would see his brother taken down a peg or three, not banished. Of discovering the lies Odin and Frigga had kept from him for centuries, that he was a Frost Giant. Of his assuming the leadership of Asgard when Odin fell into the Odinsleep, and in his contempt for the brother whom Odin favoured over him, lied to him, told him he died. He actually felt a little sorry for Thor, when he showed genuine remorse for what happened to Odin. But the bitterness and his schadenfreude at seeing Thor humbled gave him no incentive to relent.

The betrayal of Sif, the Warriors Three, and Heimdall. Loki luring the Frost Giants under the pretext of allowing them to kill Odin, only to kill them, including his birth father, Laufey. His plan to destroy Jotunheim, and with it, the Frost Giants, to please his father, prove that he alone was worthy of the throne. His brother's stupid, senseless sacrifice to prevent the humans from dying at the hands…well, energy blast of the Destroyer. Loki decided to honour his brother's sacrifice, and fully intended to leave the humans alone…until his nobility allowed him to wield Mjolnir again. Thor returning to Asgard, and trying to stop Loki from destroying Jotunheim, finally settling on destroying the Bifrost, despite knowing it may separate him from that human he had become smitten with. Thor and Loki falling…only to be halted by Odin, holding onto them.

And then, Loki's final plea, only for Odin to reject him. Reject the efforts he had made on behalf of Asgard. The renunciation had effectively caused Loki to fall, Thor's screams echoing in his ears. He had been such a good actor.

So why did Thor's screams of anguish tear at his heart?

With a snarl, Loki smashed his fist into the bedroom wall, and then sighed when he saw the crater left behind. While he was never the strongest of the warriors of Asgard, he was still far above the strength of mortal men. He fixed it with a spell. Hopefully, the trio upstairs didn't notice.

Thor didn't care about him, any more than Odin had. Even Frigga's love was suspect, though at least he could concede that it may have been genuine. _Don't think about them_ , Loki thought to himself. _They aren't your family. They never were. You have a new chance in this city. You can use your magic and your tongue to go somewhere. You can awe these primitives with your power. These Magi are but dilettantes in magic, whereas you have had centuries, even millennia, to learn it. You were worshipped as a god. You are Odinson and Laufeyson no more, you are your own person, Loki Silvertongue. And here, you are a god amongst men. You don't need to draw their attention yet, though. Subtlety is the key. That's why you lost to Thor. You weren't subtle. You descended to their level even as you ascended to the throne. But here, not only can you be subtle…but you can also drive them absolutely mad_.

Calming himself, smiling as he found a new equilibrium in the turmoil that was his soul, he left the bedroom. He switched on a radio idly, and heard a rather upbeat song, albeit with strange lyrics.

 _I never did good things,_

 _I never did bad things,_

 _I never did anything out of the blue…_

 _Want an axe to break the ice,_

 _Wanna come down right now…_

 _Ashes to ashes, funk to funky,_

 _We know Major Tom's a junkie,_

 _Strung out on Heaven's high,_

 _Hitting an all-time low…_

 _My momma said, "To get things done,_

 _You'd better not mess with Major Tom."_

 _My momma said, "To get things done,_

 _You'd better not mess with Major Tom."_

 _My momma said, "To get things done,_

 _You'd better not mess with Major Tom."_

 _My momma said, "To get things done,_

 _You'd better not mess with Major Tom…"_

Loki found himself enjoying it, despite himself. He must've found a station that played English songs rather than Japanese songs. It was certainly novel, compared to the music that was frequently played in Asgard. The announcer then said, in Japanese, that it was _Ashes to Ashes_ by David Bowie.

His mood was now a bit more buoyant, and after undertaking his ablutions, he left, to find Medea making notes. "You didn't sleep?" he asked.

"As you supply me with more than adequate mana, I don't need it. How did you sleep?"

"Not very well. I am sure that you, like myself, have painful memories stalking you like hunters stalking an animal for sport, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Usually while one is sleeping. I daresay that's a good metaphor. I should remember it for further usage," Loki declared.

"If you do say so yourself," Medea said with a smirk. "I've checked the locations of the possible Grail sites. I've narrowed it down to four. I had to make sure for myself, in case your book was misleading. That wasn't the case. Aside from the three you mentioned last night, there is a possible site in a residential area. However, I am personally more inclined to make Ryuudou Temple our actual base of operations."

"And why is that?"

"Simple. There is only one path going in and out of it, a long staircase up a mountain. The surrounding woods are a physical barrier, and there is a substantial magical one around the whole temple. However, there is some small merit to the residential area. There's a few abandoned buildings we could use for our purposes, and it could be an effective hiding place in the middle of the action, so to speak. The Tohsaka Mansion is excluded for obvious reasons, as is the church. Incidentally, I kept an eye on the church when you retired for the night. With your power supply to me, I was able to penetrate some of the Bounded Fields preventing me from seeing inside. And I saw something very interesting."

"Which was what?"

"Assassin's Master sought sanctuary there after that Servant was supposedly killed. Kirei Kotomine, the son of the current overseer, Risei Kotomine. Don't ask me how they allowed that. There's no rule against it. That being said, Assassin is very much alive, and there are multiple bodies to it. That must be their Noble Phantasm. Worse, the Kotomines and Assassin are actually in collusion with Tohsaka. I didn't risk viewing it for much longer: even with the power to penetrate the Bounded Fields, I risked detection."

"That's still good intelligence," Loki said. "It was a setup, then, to try and make us think that Assassin was dead. So we have to kill all of this Assassin's bodies?"

"Yes. You have an astounding grasp of the obvious."

"My brother is, sadly, infectious," Loki snarked back. "Nothing else?"

"Actually, there is. Given that the von Einzberns are likely to send a Master and their Servant, and they reside in Germany, I kept an eye on the airports in the area, keeping an eye out for planes from Germany, particularly those privately chartered. As yet, nobody has arrived of note, though it is possible I may have missed someone."

Loki nodded. "Good. I am glad to be blessed with someone who is as intelligent and competent as they are beautiful." _And dangerous_ , Loki added in the privacy of his head. Medea was dangerous after all, like a predatory animal on a leash that could turn on him when he made a misstep.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Medea tittered, although she was apparently flattered regardless. "Then again, the truth is a more dangerous weapon than a lie, isn't it?"

"Of course," Loki conceded. He had been on the receiving end of that truism. The truth about his heritage had caused the most excruciating pain. He frowned when he saw the image in her crystal ball. "Medea, it's showing the airport again."

"Hmm, something must've tripped it. A Magus," Medea said, moving back over to the crystal ball. They watched as a pair of women disembarked from the plane.

One of them appeared to be a woman in her twenties or early thirties, apparently albino, with blood red eyes and pale white hair. Loki remembered from the book that this was a hallmark of the Homunculi created by the von Einzberns. She was dressed quite elegantly too, in winter clothes.

The other woman was in her late teens, and yet carried herself with an air of an older woman. While she had blonde hair and green eyes, there was something about her bearing that reminded Loki uncomfortably of Sif. A warrior woman, discarding the trappings of her gender to look the part, though she was more slender than Sif was. She was wearing a rather severe suit that added to her slightly androgynous appearance.

Loki frowned when he thought about it. "Medea, the blonde is likely to be a Servant, correct?"

"Correct. You are wondering why she isn't astralized. I'm curious myself, but a few Servants are unable to astralize, I have heard. One moment."

Medea waved her hand, and they were finally able to hear the conversation. It was the Servant who was speaking. "… _was rather more tedious than I expected_ ," she said with a British accent, her voice cultured and measured.

" _I thought you'd be more impressed, Saber_ ," the Homunculus said.

" _You think me ignorant of modern day knowledge, Irisviel. It is understandable, but the Grail gives Servants knowledge of this era. And while I am not a Rider class, I have the Riding skill. That means that, if I wished, I could probably ride this airplane. It is, after all, a vehicle, and as long as there is an equivalent of a saddle to sit on and reins to hold, instinct will do the rest._ "

Loki and Medea both had a mental image of Saber riding on top of an airplane like one would ride a horse, and tittered. It seemed that Irisviel thought something similar, as she giggled(1). Loki then looked at the Homunculus. "She doesn't seem to be Saber's true Master. Probably their Master's proxy. She's not wearing gloves, and I see no Command Seals."

"That's hardly surprising. Our friends upstairs had a brief discussion about the other Masters. The man, Kayneth, seemed obsessed with a former student who stole his original Servant, one Waver Velvet. They seemed to indicate that Waver's Servant will be a Rider, and in all likelihood, Iskandar, better known in the West as Alexander the Great. They also mentioned who Saber's Master is, and he's not a von Einzbern, though he has been retained by them. His name is Kiritsugu Emiya, though he has the charming epithet of the Magus Killer."

"A lovely little _nom de guerre_. Do you know anything about him?"

"Kayneth spoke of him as a mercenary assassin frequently hired by the Magus Association to deal with problems. While Kayneth spoke of him in contempt, Sola-Ui showed apprehension. The Magus Killer is surprisingly infamous with a rather large bodycount over his career. Kayneth, however, believed Emiya to be a third-rate Magus at best."

Loki scoffed. "While an epithet like the Magus Killer may be hyperbole, if he does have such a reputation, he may need to be treated with caution, especially as he is the Master of Saber, one of the strongest classes. And an assassin would have to be good to even have a career, especially where Magi are involved, and the von Einzberns must've hired him because he was skilled, unless they are truly desperate. Of course, he is only human." Then, a thought occurred to him, and he began to chuckle.

"What do you find so funny?" Medea asked.

"Well…look at her! Look at Saber!" Loki said. "Think about the difference between her and her Master!"

Medea frowned, trying to get what Loki had intended, before her eyes widened in realisation. So too did her smile. "Oh, I see! If Saber is a chivalrous knight…being forced to be the Servant to an assassin who works in the shadows and does whatever's needed to win…"

"Exactly! That Homunculus, Irisviel, is being used as a buffer. Not her primary purpose, I'd wager, but even so, she might be more genial to Saber. Saber reminds me a little too much of a friend of my brother's. A woman so desperate to be a warrior, she effectively desexed herself." Though there was a vaguely regal bearing, Loki realised, to Saber's posture. Having attended so many damned court functions, he knew what to look out for.

"Well, we have another candidate to possibly bring under us as our own Servant," Medea said with a smirk. "Risky, to get so close as to use Rule Breaker: Sabers have a resistance to magic, and close quarters combat is not something I excel in. But…should I get close enough to use Rule Breaker on her…"

"We have a powerful Servant at our disposal," Loki finished. "Then again, she may take umbrage to such a thing. She might require using a Command Seal or two to stay under our control. The same may go for Lancer." He sat down near Medea. "So, to summarise, we know the identities of the Masters of Archer, Assassin, Lancer, Saber, and Rider. That leaves the Master of Berserker. Though given what is written in that book, he or she may very well be of the Matou family. What's more, I doubt that any of the other Masters know who we are."

"My summoning would have been noted by the authorities overseeing the Grail War, but my identity as Medea, and you as my Master, will be intact for the time being."

"Good. Then let the pranks begin." He looked to the ceiling above. "And I have an idea as an opener. We have three victims ready and waiting. And the thing about physical or magical defences is that they can make it hard for someone to get to them…but it may also make it hard to get out."

"Oh. What do you have in mind?"

"An elevator that won't go up to that floor anymore, staff who can't remember its very existence, the fire exit locked…and that's just to keep them up there." Loki grinned. "While what I have in mind is puerile, immature, and petty, I feel like indulging in such things. Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald and his entourage may have high opinions of themselves…but then again, they are currently up against their betters. Betters who are not only royalty, but have wicked and malicious senses of humour, and with big axes to grind. Metaphorically."

Medea smirked. "Normally, I would not deign to descend to the level of puerile pranks…but his self-righteous attitude did rub me the wrong way. In fact, the Servant is the nicest of the three, and not just because he's handsome. I feel sorry for him for having to deal with such an arrogant Master and a woman who seems to be making plans to rape him in his sleep."

"Seriously?"

"They let slip that Lancer is an Irish warrior, Diarmuid of the Love Spot. It's actually a curse. It seems that Sola-Ui had fallen for it…or else has become infatuated anyway."

"So we know the identities of two of the Servants as well. Were you able to discern the identity of the Archer we saw last night?"

"Not yet."

"Hmm. Two out of our six opponents is excellent, given the short time we have been involved," Loki mused. Then, with a vicious grin on his face, he said, "In any case, I believe it's time for the pranks to begin…"

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Loki and Medea know who most of the other Masters are, as well as two of the Servants. And they're making plans. Yes, plans. And let's face it, out of the Masters in the Grail War, one of the most deserving of the upcoming pranks will be Kayneth. He's an unrepentant arsehole, and Sola-Ui is not much better. Hell, even Kirei, at least at this early stage, is more sympathetic than Kayneth: he's still struggling to find meaning in his life and also struggling against his inner darkness. In fact, I just had an idea: Loki converting Kirei to the idea of using pranks to alleviate his need to see people suffering. Whaddya think?**

 **Incidentally, the lyrics come from, of course,** ** _Ashes to Ashes_** **by David Bowie. Obviously, I don't own them.**

 **Anyway, next chapter, Heimdall meets Zelretch and survives with his sanity more or less intact, learns of Loki's whereabouts, and Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald and Sola-Ui Too-Long Adamn-Name get pranked within an inch of their lives.**

 **Review-answering time!** **iledian** **: Yes, I will give Waver a good outcome. Of all the Masters in the Grail War, I feel the most sympathy for him, and then Kariya.**

 **1\. I decided to go for the manga version of this scene rather than the anime version.**


	5. Chapter 4: Pride Comes Before the Fall

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **PRIDE COMES BEFORE THE FALL**

What does Heimdall, guardian of the Bifrost, do with his day, few know. A few in Asgard speculate that, when he gets bored, he plays the part of a voyeur, watching people engaged in carnal activity. In truth, he holds himself to a far higher standard than that. In truth, he enjoys reading on the few times he has away from his post, and re-reads the books in his head, writing treatises on the characters therein. Much of his near-omniscience is subconscious, in any case.

There were few threats who could get by the dark-skinned man with eyes as gold as the armour he wore. Sadly, today was the day when one of them arrived.

Then again, he couldn't see people arriving by Kaleidoscope.

The first he knew that Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg had arrived in Asgard was when a throat was politely and firmly cleared behind him. Not to clear an irritant from the throat but, as someone once pointed out, to indicate the very presence of a throat(1). And it was to Heimdall's credit that the only outward sign of his surprise was a brief widening of his golden eyes, before he turned, very carefully, to face the intruder.

"Zelretch," Heimdall said levelly. "Why have you… _graced_ Asgard with your presence?"

"What? I cannot say hello?" Zelretch asked, a mock look of mortal offence on his face that didn't fool Heimdall at all.

"State your business, Zelretch," Heimdall said bluntly. "You know how Odin feels about you being in Asgard."

"Spoil my fun, why don't you? You'd fit in at Clock Tower, Heimdall. You have no sense of humour known to humanity…or Asgard."

Actually, Heimdall had a rather dry sense of humour when he put his mind to it. But he wasn't in the mood to play games with a Dead Apostle. He just narrowed his eyes at Zelretch, until the infamous dimension-hopping vampire sighed. "I think next time, I'll set my grandson on you. He'll get you to lighten up, or else have a nervous breakdown, especially when you see purple hair again. In any case, I have news for Odin, Frigga, and Thor."

"The royal family are in mourning, due to the untimely demise of Loki," Heimdall said.

"Actually, your statement was incorrect. Instead of 'untimely', you should have 'prematurely assumed'. Loki is very much alive, though beyond your reach, even if the Bifrost was still operational."

Heimdall caught onto what he meant. "You found him when he fell." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Through good luck for both of us. If I had not, he would have fell into the grasp of Thanos, and I needn't tell you that that's far from a good thing." Zelretch then smirked. "I have sent him to another timeline, where Asgard was the realm of gods rather than advanced aliens. Consider it a convalescent holiday."

"Loki is a traitor to the realm," Heimdall said.

"Considering what happened, is it any wonder he did what he did? He learned he was his own worst enemy, a Frost Giant, and he was certain that his family's love, save perhaps that of Frigga, was a lie. His actions against Thor and Jotunheim were admittedly extreme, to say the least, and he will have a way to go before he can redeem himself. Which is why this trip will be good for him. It will allow him to heal from the scars Odin and Thor, even with the best of intentions, inflicted on him. What's more, it may bring him some much-needed perspective. It also gives him a means of working off his frustrations."

"You have inflicted Loki on a defenceless world?" Heimdall demanded.

"I have inflicted Loki on a tournament between a group of arrogant mages who could stand to be taken down a peg or two. A few do not need the lesson, but others most certainly do. Doing so will distract him from his troubles long enough to repair his psyche. Think of this as being like Thor being exiled to humble him. In any case, I bring gifts."

"Oh," Heimdall said, understandably wary. On Midgard, a popular phrase was ' _Beware of Greeks bearing gifts_ ', though a better term might be ' _Beware of Trojans because they're total smegheads(_ _2)_ '. Amongst Magi, on Asgard, and within a number of cultures and organisations aware of a certain Dead Apostle, the phrase was modified to ' _Beware of Zelretch bearing gifts_ '.

"Don't be like that. Firstly, a means for Loki's family to watch what he's doing." Zelretch seemed to pluck a crystal ball out of thin air, and rolled it around on his hand, from palm to back, in an impressive display of contact juggling…up until he dropped the crystal ball, whereupon it shattered. "Damnation. David Bowie makes it look so easy(3)."

As Zelretch pulled another crystal ball out of the air, Heimdall asked, "And what is the other gift?"

"Ah, I'm so glad you asked," Zelretch said with a grin, before snapping his fingers. Appearing in a swirl of colour was a massive crate. "As the Bifrost is down, I thought you'd appreciate an alternate means to get to the Nine Realms. So…I thought I'd bring Asgard a whole crateful of modified Kaleidosticks, free of charge."

Heimdall's eyes narrowed when he saw the crate filled with an item that Asgard had come to fear. He walked over to the crate, looked at it, and then gave it an almighty kick. People forgot that Heimdall was one of the strongest warriors in Asgard, and the crate filled with Kaleidosticks skittered along the floor until it reached the edge of the chamber, where the Bifrost normally would extend out. It teetered, and then toppled over into the void.

"That was rather discourteous," Zelretch said with a pout.

"Those things are too dangerous, even for we of Asgard," Heimdall said.

"Hmm. Perhaps it will land somewhere interesting…"

* * *

Nebula was getting bored, listening to her adoptive father discussing invasion plans with his majordomo, the Other. So when a crate fell out of the sky and onto the Other, squashing the obsequious alien into a bloody smear, Nebula had to admit, it was at least more exciting.

"Are we under attack?!" Thanos demanded, the blue-skinned Mad Titan tensing, ready to fight.

Gamora frowned, walking with her adoptive sister to investigate the crate in bemusement. Part of the crate had split open, spilling out what looked like magic rods…of a familiar design. "It seems Zelretch is bored again," Gamora observed. "Don't touch them, sister."

"Do I look like I'm crazy?" Nebula snarked.

Gamora looked at her bald, blue-skinned sister with dark eyes and a bloodthirsty demeanour. The green-skinned survivor of the Zehoberi decided not to answer that question. Instead, she began wondering how she was going to dispose of those Kaleidosticks…

* * *

Disposing of Kaleidosticks would have been desirable in comparison to what Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald was going through. The first notion he had that something was wrong was when he went to the toilet…and the moment he tried flushing it, a massive fountain of water mixed in with urine exploded all over him. While he wasn't physically injured, his dignity understandably took a serious wound, especially when Lancer rushed in, having heard the noise, and found his Master dripping with yellow-tinted water. Kayneth didn't know it, but behind the serious façade of his Servant, Diarmuid was laughing his head off, albeit in the privacy of his own skull.

When he tried to use the shower, it got worse. While the water itself looked normal, it smelt of bad eggs. The distinctive smell of sulphur dioxide was a potential sign of a few potions, so Kayneth hastily turned it off and retreated, hurriedly towelling himself down. He decided it was more likely to be bad plumbing, but one couldn't be too careful.

Worse still was to come. His fiancée, Sola-Ui, was still in bed. He wasn't wholly oblivious to the fact she was less thrilled with being engaged to him than he was, so he tried to be a doting fiancée to sweeten the deal. It was perhaps one of his few redeeming qualities. That, and his intelligence: he was, for all his faults, a brilliant Magus. So he wanted to treat his fiancée to breakfast in bed.

He rang up the hotel's reception to report the substandard amenities, as well as order a room service breakfast for himself and Sola-Ui, only to be laughed at when he told them where his room was. He was told, bluntly, that the room didn't exist, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. Indeed, he even stormed to the elevator to head down there and give them a piece of his mind. The elevator, however, didn't work. Neither did the emergency stairs.

It was at this point that he realised, with a chill running down his spine, that this might be the heralding of an attack by another Magus and their Servant. He fled back into the room, intending to ready both Lancer and his Volumen Hydragyrum.

"Lancer, be prepared for an attack on us at any moment!" Kayneth snapped at his Servant as he re-entered the room. He then scowled when he remembered he had left the vial of enchanted mercury that was the Volumen Hydragyrum in the bedroom. So he went back in there, and froze at the sight before him.

His wife was moaning in pleasure, one hand beneath the sheets and moving in a somewhat unmistakeable way. She seemed half-asleep. It wasn't like Sola-Ui to do this, and when Kayneth heard the words she was uttering, he found his embarrassment turning into cold fury.

"Ungh…Lancer…nnngh…ahhh…your spear…it's so…big…hahhh…"

Now, leaving aside the fact that his fiancée was having a sexual fantasy about another man, and a more attractive one at that, which was bad enough, Kayneth was angry for another reason. His Lancer Servant, Diarmuid of the Love Spot, was infamous in his particular legend, from the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He had ended up having an affair with Gráinne, the intended of Fionn Mac Cumhaill. Not willingly: Gráinne had put him under a geas to elope with her. But even so, he wasn't wholly blind to his fiancée's attraction to Lancer. This, however, was a whole other matter entirely.

He took the flask of the Volumen Hydragyrum out of his bag, and left Sola-Ui to it. He would confront her later. But Lancer was another matter entirely.

He stormed into the living room, and glared at Lancer. "Have you touched my wife?"

"What? No, of course not! I mean, aside from escorting her, but…"

"LIAR!" Kayneth roared. While he normally had a significant amount of composure, the morning's events, combined with his wife having a fantasy about Lancer, had worn down at it. Of course, he didn't know it, but a carefully placed remote compulsion spell by Medea via crystal ball had made him more angry and combative than usual…and more irrational. Which was why he did something he normally wouldn't have done. He held up the back of his hand, and snarled, "BY MY COMMAND SEAL, I DEMAND THAT YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

Lancer stiffened, before he said, "I did not have sexual relations with your fiancée."

"LIAR! BY MY SECOND COMMAND SEAL, I ORDER YOU TO TELL THE TRUTH!"

"I AM, MASTER! AND YOU JUST WASTED TWO COMMAND SEALS!"

Lancer raising his voice, something he hadn't done in the entirety of their acquaintance, got through to Kayneth, breaking the compulsion spell's effects. He blinked, and shook his head, before staring at the back of his hand in horror. There it was, two of the segments of the Command Seal, gone. "No…no, no, no…" Kayneth hissed. "What have I done?"

"I must apologise, Master, for giving you cause to…"

"Enough, Lancer. My fiancée is not to be disturbed until such time as…"

"AHHHHH!"

Lancer blinked when he heard the voice of Sola-Ui crying out in climax. "…Until such time as she is finished attending to private needs?" he asked tactfully.

"Indeed. I believe that these events are part of an enemy Master's attempt to attack us," Kayneth said. "Somehow, I came under a compulsion charm, and the hotel staff do not remember us, or the fact that this room exists. The stairs are blocked, as is the elevator. If I came under a compulsion charm, then our adversary may be a Caster. Either that, or our adversary is a Magus of considerable skill…and yet of a puerile mindset."

"Who has a puerile mindset?" Sola-Ui asked, stepping out into the living room, dressed in a dressing gown. "I heard you two shouting at each other."

"I came across you…engaged in onanism!" Kayneth bit out.

"I most certainly did not!" Sola-Ui snapped, scandalised. "I thought I heard myself screaming in an embarrassing manner, but I most certainly wasn't the cause of…"

Kayneth leapt to his feet, and went past Sola-Ui…only to find her still in bed in post-coital bliss. "An illusion spell, keyed to myself and Lancer," Kayneth snarled. "Someone is making a fool of us."

He didn't notice Sola-Ui's contemptuous glare, which said, _Of_ _ **us?**_ _You mean of_ _ **you**_ _. Not that you needed to be made a fool of in the first place, given that you are one already_. It was an expressive look.

And then, things got worse. The radio snapped on…and a loud, obnoxious song played. One that was apparently sung by a drunk, loud, tone deaf man. The lyrics were bawdy and suitable to a medieval tavern rather than a luxury hotel suite, something about how hedgehogs couldn't be buggered at all(4). A scream of sheer fury erupted from Kayneth's lips, as he stormed to the radio, and tried to turn it off. But he couldn't. With a roar, he began smashing it, only for the song to continue.

"Allow me, Master," Lancer said. He rammed the Gáe Dearg into the remains of the radio…and silenced it. "It broke the enchantment. Someone is playing games with us."

* * *

Loki scowled. "Damnation. I wanted them to enjoy the dubious delights of Volstagg's Euterpean(5) efforts for a bit longer. It took a lot of trouble trying to dig up that memory for you to channel to their radio."

"I have to say, I'm relieved. I pity you for knowing such a man who cannot sing so well. Even that oaf Heracles wasn't as bad. Still, it seems our efforts have borne us unexpected fruit," Medea said with a smirk. "Not only has Kayneth squandered two Command Seals, thus placing him at a distinct disadvantage, but we have seen the effects of one of Lancer's spears. It may be that both are his Noble Phantasms, but we know one of them for sure: a spear that can negate magic."

"Hmm. Well, their suffering has only just begun. Though I wonder why he's pouring out that flask of mercury," Loki mused.

" _Now, with Volumen Hydragyrum, we will force open an exit_. Fervor, mei sanguis," Kayneth said. The mercury pool became a mobile blob, and Kayneth spoke additional commands to it. It followed him out to the fire escape, upon which it lashed out and smashed at the fire escape door, only for the door to remain in place.

"Nice shield spell you put in place," Loki said.

"Even a Servant would find it hard-pressed to batter down without a Noble Phantasm…except perhaps for Berserker," Medea said.

Kayneth barked out a command to the mercury ball, which then sliced through the floor. This time, he got the results he wanted. They heard a loud crash outside the door. Loki scowled, before he regained a smirk. "Wait here," he said to Medea, plucking a bottle from the minibar as he did so, drinking some as he did so, while using a spell to make his clothes and hair look dishevelled...

* * *

Kayneth descended using the Volumen Hydragyrum as a lift platform to the next floor. If he ever found the one responsible for his humiliation…

The door to a luxury suite opened up, and Kayneth froze. A dark-haired man with green eyes, his hair and clothes askew, leaned out, a bottle of wine in hand, half-drunk. Well, the bottle was. The man looked hungover. He slurred, "What's with all the noise? Can't you see I'm… _huh_." He stared at the rubble, and at the Volumen Hydragyrum.

Dammit, this was bad. If a non-Magus spotted him using magecraft, he needed to either modify his memory, or kill him, and that was potentially disastrous given what was happening.

The man then looked at his bottle, and then back at the rubble and the Volumen Hydragyrum. He then looked at the bottle, before he slurred, "Must've drunk too much." He then slid back into his room, and shut the door.

Kayneth breathed a sigh of relief. The man clearly thought it was a hallucination caused by drunkenness. While the damage would have to be explained away to the staff (once he had broken whatever modifications had been done to their minds, before adding his own), he could at least have the drunk chalk up the Volumen Hydragyrum as the result of inebriation.

Still, whoever had done this would pay. Oh yes, they would pay.

Of course, Kayneth had no idea that the guilty party, or at least one of them, he had just encountered. But then again, like many people who are too clever by half, his arrogance blinded him to a number of possibilities. It was a truism that those whom the gods would destroy were driven mad first, and he didn't know it, but there was a man whose people were mistaken for gods laughing behind his back…

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. A bit of Asgard, and a bit of Kayneth getting humiliated. Then again, he deserves it. And yes, that whole thing of Sola-Ui fantasising about Lancer was one of Loki's illusion spells, done remotely.**

 **This may be the last chapter for a little while, but I hope you enjoyed what I did write so far. I've got other things to write at the moment.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Lancelot du Loc** **: Whether Loki actually does learn about what happened to Sakura is still up in the air, but should he learn about it, he WILL be trying to save her.**

 **AnFan-an-More** **: I am well aware of** ** _Beware of Sith Trolls_** **(not to mention a lot of sakurademonalchemist's work: her latest chapter as of writing of** ** _Best Served Cold_** **has given a surprisingly plausible explanation for why Lily consented to hooking up with James Potter, one that has become my personal fanon), though the idea of converting Kirei to Loki's side via having him discover the joy of pranks was my idea, or at least developed without consciously thinking of** ** _Beware of Sith Trolls_** **(though I think, subconsciously, I WAS thinking of a similar scenario late in sakurademonalchemist's** ** _Fate/Stay Night/Highschool DxD_** **crossover** ** _Swords of a Devil_** **). There'll still be angst aplenty, though.**

 **SkySage24** **: I think of the Asgardians not as evil monsters, but as basically being, frankly, a bunch of stuck-up aliens stuck in societal stasis. A bit like the Time Lords with a more Viking vibe. But Loki is also biased, what with his superiority complex. This story is about him growing out of it somewhat, or at least gaining more of a moral compass. However, I am going with the MCU portrayal of Odin, simply because I am far more familiar with it.**

 **iledian** **: I feel very ambivalent about Kiritsugu, and you're meant to. His goals are sympathetic, and there's a good man beneath his trappings of a cold-hearted assassin. But he's frankly a dick, especially to Arturia. He shows little more than contempt for her, not even a smidgen of respect, which seems to be born from his hatred for heroes causing war and death. While his reasoning is sound, he could at least be, if not kinder, then more civil to Arturia. Loki is going to have some fun with Kiritsugu, believe me…**

 **sinnerlust** **: What I read seemed to indicate that Sola-Ui actually had enough ability to resist Diarmuid's charm spell/curse, but she allowed herself to become infatuated anyway. Considering that she doesn't like being with Kayneth, well, it's not that big a stretch to consider that Sola-Ui wanted to bang Diarmuid. Hell, I could see her using the Grail to bring Diarmuid back to life in the modern day.**

 **1\. Terry Pratchett remarked on this in** ** _Hogfather_** **, when an Auditor clears its throat (or the equivalent) to gain the attention of Lord Downey.**

 **2\. Based on Lister's opinion of the Trojan War in the** ** _Red Dwarf_** **episode** ** _The Inquisitor_** **. Ironically, he uses a Trojan Horse method to get rid of the Inquisitor at the end…**

 **3\. Zelretch is referring to David Bowie's turn as Jareth the Goblin King in** ** _Labyrinth_** **. However, Bowie himself didn't do the contact juggling with his crystal ball: it was Michael Moschen, standing behind Bowie…and being unable to see the ball he was manipulating.**

 **4\. Another Discworld reference, to the infamous Hedgehog Song Nanny Ogg is so infamous for singing. Maybe Nanny Ogg once met Volstagg…**

 **5\. Euterpean may sound made-up, but it means regarding song and music, after the Muse Euterpe.**


	6. Chapter 5: Saber, Irisviel, and

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **SABER, IRISVIEL, AND KIRITSUGU**

He hadn't actually been to Midgard, to Earth, and walked amongst the humans for ages, Loki reflected. Well, save for a few brief visits, including the one while that oaf Thor was exiled. He viewed them with contempt, but now that he was amongst them, he realised that the humans weren't as stagnant as Asgard had become. Asgard had better technology than the humans, true, but there was no real desire for innovation. No desire to improve.

As much as he had sneered at Thor for falling for a human, he had to admit, humans at least tried to innovate, for all their faults. Asgard was stifling and stagnant by comparison, and while the humans were as mere ants to him, even an ant's nest was more alive than Asgard had been. And judging by a newspaper he saw, he was actually ten years behind the Earth he had known.

Medea was back at the hotel. Sadly, Kayneth had undid the conditioning they had put on the staff, and Loki reversed the spells they had put on the elevator and fire escape for the time being. Kayneth had apparently covered up his cutting a hole in the floor as being some sort of engineering failure. Loki was using the opportunity to scout the city, and see if he could find the Masters. With his mental link to Medea, he found that he was close to Saber and the Homunculus. They were going sight-seeing.

Later tonight, Loki and Medea were going to make the move to Ryuudou Temple. That was going to be their new base of operations. But Loki was doing some reconnaissance. He was going to test whether Servants could see past his illusion spells. Dangerous, to be sure. But he also wanted to prank a couple of more Masters.

He soon found Saber and the Irisviel woman. The only illusion spell he had cast as of yet was one on his hand, to conceal the Command Seals. He had to admit, both of them were beautiful in their own way, as was Medea. Medea had an air of exotic beauty with her lavender hair and pointed ears, and had an air of sophistication and sadness mixed in with deviousness. Irisviel was equally exotic, looking like an albino, but with a strange mixture of sophistication and naïveté.

He had to admit, though, of the pair here, it was Saber who was most interesting. Not because of her looks: while beautiful in a rather regal, aloof way, she wasn't as exotic as Irisviel or Medea. Blonde hair and green eyes were common on Asgard and Earth. She was quite slender, and Loki thought that someone summoned as a Saber would have perhaps more muscle, even a little.

However, it was her regal manner that struck him. It was subtle, subtle enough that these dullards around him didn't notice. As far as they were concerned, Saber seemed to be a suit-wearing bodyguard for a European woman of admittedly odd appearance. Worth a second glance, maybe a stare, but not that out of the ordinary. But Loki, having been around Odin and Thor and Frigga and the various nobles and rulers of Asgard and other realms, could tell. This woman had been a ruler and a warrior both. What was more, he had to admit, she seemed more impressive in that regard than his so-called father and brother did.

Their eyes met. Green eyes met green eyes. Saber's narrowed briefly. The threat was unmistakeable. _Attack at your peril_. She moved subtly closer to Irisviel on instinct.

Loki merely smiled, not actually reassuringly, but with a mixture of confidence and acknowledgement. _I'm not going to attack you, but I think I'd surprise you if I had_. He moved past them, and walked a little further away, before ducking into an alley, applying an illusion spell that rendered him invisible, and then he followed them.

Loki followed them throughout the day, Medea occasionally making smartarse comments through their mental link. As night fell, the two of them headed to a beach area. The Irisviel woman frolicked, ankle-deep in the water, like a child. It seemed like a novel experience to her. Saber watched on. Eventually, Irisviel asked, "Saber, do you enjoy the sea at all?"

"Not exactly," Saber said. "I looked upon the sea with loathing, for in my time, invaders would arrive by the sea."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Irisviel said. "And to be honest I feel sorry for you. I mean, you're a woman like me, but as King Arthur, you never had the chance to enjoy the company of men."

As they spoke of Kiritsugu, Loki frowned. Arthur? That girl was King Arthur? " _Medea_ ," Loki sent over their mental link. " _Did you hear that?"_

 _"I heard it. You would be surprised at how many figures in myth and history had their true gender concealed. Arthur, or rather, Arturia Pendragon, was only one of them. This is interesting, though. Did you hear that about Kiritsugu Emiya?"_

Loki nodded. He had been listening with half an ear. _It seems that Kiritsugu Emiya is filled with more self-reproach than one would think healthy in an assassin_. He then noticed Saber reacting, and grabbing hold of Irisviel. He listened to Saber warning Irisviel that she sensed a Servant, and that it'd probably be either Lancer or Rider. Hmm. This might be interesting.

* * *

The moment he realised it was Lancer, Loki decided to have some fun. While Saber and Lancer engaged in some pre-battle banter, Saber changing her apparel into what looked like an armoured dress (he had to admit, it was actually a nice mixture of the feminine and the martial), Loki ducked out of sight, and then contacted Medea via their mental link. " _Medea, are you there? Can you see me?_ "

" _Of course I can't while you're invisible_ ," Medea retorted. " _I'm currently observing Saber and Lancer fighting. I love her style. Actually, she's got that sort of look to her that makes me want to create costumes for her._ "

"… _Okay. Can you see Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald anywhere?_ "

" _Yes. However, I've spotted two others arriving on the scene. Both seem to be humans, but one of them, a man, has Command Seals on his hand. A moment please, I need to listen to their conversation._ " After about half a minute, Medea said, " _Loki, the man is Kiritsugu Emiya. The woman is an assistant by the name of Maiya. They are currently readying mundane weaponry to monitor the battlefield. Oh. I see an Assassin on one of the cranes. It seems we were right after all._ "

After a moment, Loki said, " _While Kayneth still deserves some more pranking, I think I will switch to Emiya. Where is he?_ "

" _Currently climbing one of the cranes._ "

Loki looked over, and spotted him. Being of Asgardian, well, Frost Giant descent did wonders for one's eyesight. " _Got him. I think I'm going to have fun_ …"

* * *

On an impish impulse, Loki changed his clothing to that of a security guard via an illusion spell. Using the ladder, he found Kiritsugu peering through the scope of a sniper rifle at the battlefield. His back wasn't wholly turned, allowing Loki to see the man in profile, even as he hid under an illusion.

He was surprisingly unimpressive. He was handsome, yes, but his hair was a little messy, and he had a faint edge of stubble to his face. He had this strangely ambivalent air of both weariness and alertness. The alertness came from being an assassin, Loki supposed, and he was intrigued by the weariness. The way Irisviel spoke of the man earlier spoke of someone who was filled with self-loathing. Loki had to confess, he did see some of it. He'd seen it on some of the older warriors of Asgard, of those who were actually tired of fighting. There were few of those, admittedly, but Loki knew how to spot those.

Loki was still going to prank him, though.

Making himself visible, he adopted the persona of a security guard. "Hey, what the hell are you doing here? And what's with the gun?" he demanded.

Kiritsugu whirled to find Loki in disguise, nearly shooting him, before he lowered his weapon slightly. He looked right into Loki's eyes, and Loki was amused to realise that Kiritsugu was trying to hypnotise him. "There is nothing going on here. Leave for your home at once."

Ah, so he does have scruples after all. Loki didn't know whether to be impressed or pity him. He blinked as if resisting the hypnosis. "I…I…what the hell are…what…"

Kiritsugu frowned, before he put more magic into his hypnosis attempt. " _Leave for your home at once._ "

Loki eventually turned to go back down, or at least pretended to. He turned himself invisible with an illusion spell, while sending the illusion of the security guard down the ladder. Once Kiritsugu had returned to his vigil, Loki cast a spell on the gun. It began to freeze over, and Kiritsugu, when he realised what had happened, detached the scope from it before dropping it. "Maiya, I'm under attack."

"That's a rather cold way of looking at it," Loki said. Kiritsugu whirled to face where Loki was, though Loki was currently invisible.

"Show yourself," Kiritsugu hissed. Loki had to admire his restraint. Instead of yelling, and blowing his cover, he kept it quiet.

"In due time, Kiritsugu Emiya. You are aware that Assassin is viewing these proceedings?"

"How do you know?" Kiritsugu demanded.

"I have ways and means. He's over on that crane. Rather a miraculous revival from the dead, considering he was annihilated by Archer. We think that, as a prank, it was somewhat lacking," Loki said, before he carefully cast another spell on Kiritsugu's feet. He also cast the same compulsion spell he had used to great effect against Kayneth, one that made Kiritsugu ever more irrational.

"Are you Master or Servant?" Kiritsugu asked.

"Ask nicely, and I'll consider answering."

Kiritsugu gritted his teeth. "…May I ask whether you are Master or Servant?"

Loki grinned, and then, after a moment, said, "I've considered it. I'm not telling."

Kiritsugu glared at where he thought Loki's head was. He was doing a good job of guessing. "Maiya? Can you see anyone near me?" Loki couldn't hear the reply, but Kiritsugu scowled, before saying, "Thanks, anyway." Suddenly, Kiritsugu sprang forward, only to be intercepted mid-leap by Loki's hand around his throat.

Loki knew that he wouldn't be affected by bullets, so he removed his illusion spell. "A desperate act by a desperate man. By the way, your associate should not bother wasting her bullets on me. Do you want to play a game? I call it Dope on a Rope." With that, Loki hurled Kiritsugu over the edge of the railing, before he turned himself invisible, and clambered down the ladder.

At the bottom, Kiritsugu Emiya was hanging upside down in a rather undignified fashion from the end of the Asgard equivalent of bungee rope. He looked distinctly unimpressed, despite the fact that Loki went to all the trouble of using his magic to make sure Kiritsugu wouldn't smear himself on either the ground, the crane's framework, or the nearby shipping containers. He removed the compulsion spell and the illusion spell as he approached. "…Keep an eye on Assassin, Maiya!" Kiritsugu hissed as he pulled out a knife. He then noticed Loki approach. "You…come to finish the job?"

"If you mean finish the job gravity started…well, I would, but you have a knife. You can use it to cut yourself free, or throw it at me. Your choice. I'm not here to kill you. Why kill you, when I can humiliate you?"

After a moment, Kiritsugu scowled, and then reached up, and cut himself free from the bungee rope. The moment he landed, he flung the knife at Loki, who caught it, blade between fingers. "That was rather discourteous," Loki remarked mildly as if commenting on the weather, bending the knife.

"This coming from the same man who just pushed me off a crane?" Kiritsugu demanded, while looking disturbed at the fact that Loki had bent the knife.

" _Touché_."

Kiritsugu, after a moment, blinked. "Wait a moment…did that damned vampire send you?"

Loki had to admit, he was surprised. "And why would you say that?"

"His reputation precedes him. You could have killed me…but instead, you did that for your own amusement. You have the same air as him."

"Guilty as charged, though that was a pretty big assumption. I presume you are talking of Zelretch?"

"Yes. So, that damned Dead Apostle's decided to take a shot at the Grail."

"Think about that for a moment. Would he really want a chance at the Grail?"

Kiritsugu, after a moment, said, in a quiet tone of revelation and realisation, "Oh, shit. He doesn't."

"That is, indeed, the appropriate response. As it would be if I told you my real name. Would you like to know it? Well, that's too bad. As much as I'd love to see you soil yourself knowing my name, I'd find it more entertaining to watch you sweat, at least for now. However, I'll give you some information, gratis. Assassin has multiple bodies, presumably part of his Noble Phantasm, so that was presumably how he was able to survive Archer's attack. Oh, and Lancer is Diarmuid of the Love Spot. I already know who your rather cute Saber Servant is. Rather surprising to know that King Arthur was a woman."

Suddenly, Loki flinched as a localised thunderstorm seemed to suddenly brew up where Saber and Lancer had been fighting. Kiritsugu, noticing, remarked acidly, "Are you afraid of thunder?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," Loki remarked. "I think things are about to become more entertaining. Be seeing you." He then made himself invisible again, dashing for the battlefield, wondering who the new player was…

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. Loki's humiliated Kiritsugu. Let's face it, Kiritsugu needs to be taken down a peg or two at times.**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: Probably not. At least not with most of those. Should Kayneth piss him off enough, though, Loki may steal his Magic Crest.**

 **I answered** **SkySage24** **'s review in correspondence, but I will reiterate the key points here. Zelretch is feared not because of his power, but because he is an inveterate prankster who doesn't care who he pisses off. Not only that, but those he does annoy can't reach him, due to Zelretch beating a retreat via Kaleidoscope. He's an anti-authoritarian gadfly who delights in causing horrific and funny things to occur. One of the key reasons Odin fears Zelretch is, understandably, the influence he'd have on Loki. Then again, one wonders what would happen if Zelretch and Tony Stark ever met. It'd be a love/hate relationship that would cause a lot of trouble…**

 **NexusRider161** **: I had heard of** ** _Just an Unorthodox Thief_** **before you mentioned it, but it was your review that led me to reading it. Thanks! I enjoyed what I have read so far, though as I have only read a little of the** ** _Lupin III_** **manga, I don't know enough of the mythos. Unlike Lupin, though, Loki has no real desire for the Grail: Zelretch can bring him back to his world. Loki still isn't sure what he wants from life, and he's wary of whether the Grail can grant him anything from his home universe (Odin's approval, the throne of Asgard), so he's in this more to piss the other Masters off, as well as show himself to be better than the other Masters. He'll gain an odd respect for Arturia, though: he sees much of Sif and Thor in her, but he also sees a woman who is trying to hold herself to as high a standard as possible, and he sympathises with her wish (at least as far as wanting to correct her mistakes: he does agree with Iskandar about her forgetting about her knights' sacrifice). While Loki and Arturia will be enemies at first, they'll become allies later on, partly because Kiritsugu hides a lot from Arturia. I'm strongly considering having Medea use Rule Breaker on Arturia: for all the bashing she undergoes for her wish, I feel she goes through a lot of flack, particularly from Kiritsugu.**

 **PikaMew1288** **: That's a good idea, actually, but Zelretch has limited ability to see into the future, even if Loki has travelled back in time (but the MCU runs ten years ahead of the Nasuverse, for this fic).**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: I didn't know you wrote** ** _Black Blood_** **when I first saw your reviews. It has some potential, and I have the original and the rewrite favourited. I hope it goes well. Anyway, firstly, your comparison between Thor and Iskandar. Sadly, Iskandar is more intelligent than Thor, and certainly more cultured. He's like Thor if Thor actually had more brain than muscle and pseudo-Shakespearean soliloquies. Here, though, Loki is somewhat below the average level of a Dead Apostle Ancestor (meaning the elite vampies), but he's still well above the average human, and he can take a Servant by surprise (as we will see in the next chapter).**

 **Regarding the Gorgon sisters, I've no idea what the Nasuverse claims regarding how they were able to be summoned. There's probably some clause or other that allows them to become Servants.**

 **Regarding Lancer during that fiasco: Kayneth wasn't thinking straight. People don't always think of such a solution when they're angry.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	7. Chapter 6: What's the Collective Noun

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **WHAT'S THE COLLECTIVE NOUN FOR A GROUP OF SERVANTS?**

Loki scowled when he saw the origin of the thunderbolts and lightning. _Oh dear All-Father, it's a ginger Thor_ , he thought exasperatedly, as he watched Rider, aka Iskandar, aka Alexander the Great (according to Medea, via their mental link) bellow some idiotic bullshit that he wanted Saber and Lancer, aka Arturia and Diarmuid, to join him on his quest to obtain the Grail. The red-haired, musclebound bearded ham was standing in a chariot, with a teenaged boy who reminded him of himself standing with him. Dark-haired, weedy, and completely out of his depth.

However, if there was one thing Loki hated more than Iskandar, it was that very nasty tone he heard Kayneth speak to the kid. It turned out that the kid was the Waver Velvet Kayneth had complained about. And given how arrogant Kayneth was…

Kayneth launched into some spiel about teaching Waver a lesson in what it meant to fight as a Magus, promising a slow, painful death for the poor kid. Waver trembled, until Loki noticed Iskandar putting a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. Like Thor doing the same for me, Loki thought treacherously, before dismissing it.

However, before Iskandar could rebuke Kayneth, as he looked like he was about to do, Loki decided to intervene. Enhancing his voice, he left cover, dispelling the invisibility as he did so. Medea had already made the move to Ryuudou Temple, so he needn't worry about retaliation if Kayneth recognised him from this morning. "My, my, my, the arrogance of some people is rather unmitigated. And unwarranted. Did you forget how readily you were humiliated this morning, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald?"

The Servants and Masters watched as he emerged from the shadows between some shipping containers. He saw delightful recognition on Arturia's face as she gripped what had to be Excalibur tightly. And then, he heard Kayneth roar, " _You! You were responsible for this morning's incident?!_ "

"Indeed. By the way, neat trick with that animated mercury blob. You may be an arrogant elitist dullard coprolite, but you have some nice tricks up your arsenal," Loki said.

"You...you impugned my Master's honour and that of his fiancée," Diarmuid snarled.

"I can't impugn what doesn't exist," Loki said with a smirk. "Rather like that boy's bladder control, or that chariot-riding idiot's indoor voice."

Iskandar actually roared with laughter. "I like the cut of your jib! But I have to ask, who are you? Master or Servant? I would say it's the latter, as your hands are bare of Command Seals, but something tells me that that may not be the case."

So the red-headed Thor clone actually had a few neurons rattling around in his head. Kiritsugu may have reached the same conclusion, but didn't voice them out loud. Which made him smarter. "Who am I? Well, have we all introduced ourselves? I know who you are."

"Then, by the conventions of honour, I wish to know your name," Arturia said. "I knew something was suspicious about you when I saw you in town."

"It's not because of honour that I respond, Arturia, but because I want to see the looks on your faces." He grinned, and gave a bow. "I am Loki, of Asgard. And I am burdened with glorious purpose." _That line won't get old any time soon_ , he reflected. _Just use it sparingly, just in case it does get old_.

"Loki?" Irisviel gasped. "But the Grail…it cannot summon deities!"

"How I come here is no concern of yours. Now hush, child. Incidentally, if your husband tries anything, I will retaliate in kind. Then again, he has already felt the… _gravity_ of the situation. He's fine, with nary a broken bone, though he may want to check his underpants for any… _accidents_." Loki giggled.

"Is this but a game to you?" Arturia snarled.

"A better question is, is it a game to these Magi? A game in deadly earnest, but a game all the same. I wonder how Kiritsugu Emiya treats a woman of your station, Arturia," Loki said. "Must be humiliating not just to be called a Servant…but to be treated like one as well."

Arturia scowled, but before she could react, Iskandar said, "Hold your tongue for the time being, Loki, if that is your true name."

"I'd like to see you stop me."

"That would indeed be a challenge, but I have something to announce. Saber, Lancer, you fought splendidly, and your symphony of combat has doubtless drawn others here. But they skulk about in the shadows. Hear me! Come forth, other Servants, or face the scorn of Iskandar, KING OF CONQUERORS!"

After a moment, Loki said, "Did you really think Assassin would show himself?"

"But Assassin's dead!" protested Waver.

"Rumours of his death have been grossly exaggerated," Loki snarked.

"As are rumours of your greatness, Loki of Asgard."

This last voice was in an arrogant, haughty tone that sounded familiar. Loki whirled to find the figure of Archer perched on a lamppost, his arms folded, a cloud of golden particles dissipating, presumably from his arrival.

"Ah, we have the Lesser Golden Peacock sitting on his perch," Loki snarked back. Probably unwisely, but Thor's impulsiveness was contagious.

"You dare mock me, mongrel?" Archer retorted.

"Well, as mongrels tend to be more genetically diverse, I am proud to be called a mongrel," Loki said. Again, probably unwisely.

Archer sneered. "Be thankful I have better things to do than to match wits with you, Loki of Asgard."

As Archer turned to glare at the other Servants, Loki thought, _A battle of wits? How nice of you to come unarmed(_ _1)_.

Sadly, Archer's arrogant sneering at Iskandar and Arturia calling themselves kings when he claimed to be the one true king led to Iskandar to point out, albeit not unreasonably, that the Rider Servant was merely using the title he was given, and was indeed a king. For all of Iskandar's diplomacy, though, Archer seemed to take umbrage anyway. Then again, he took umbrage to anything that remotely provoked him, and he soon revealed his Noble Phantasm once more, a pair of weapons inching out of glowing golden ripples in mid-air.

"I'm curious, though, Archer," Loki said.

"Did I give you permission to speak, Liesmith?"

"Indulge me. I'm curious as to why such a man with such…sense of self has assented to be summoned as a Servant. You consider yourself to be a ruler above all others, and yet, you are now a Servant. That must grate."

"If you must know, my Master had the correct catalyst. In any case, Servant I may be in name, but my Master sees fit to know his place."

"Which is presumably wiping your arse. Well, I'm curious, do you shit gold? I mean, it'd explain where you got your armour from," Loki asked.

* * *

In another universe, in his death throes on the toilet, a man by the name of Tywin Lannister sneezed as he died, on the toilet, with a crossbow quarrel sticking out of his guts. He didn't shit gold, despite popular legend…

* * *

Arturia gasped, scandalised, as did Irisviel and Waver. He heard a groan of annoyance from Diarmuid, though Iskandar roared with laughter. Archer, meanwhile, glared at Loki. "You have breathed your last, Liesmith," he hissed dangerously.

Loki merely sneered back, setting an illusion spell of himself in place, while moving away as the ripples, and the weapons they were disgorging, moved to bear on his doppelganger. "Better fools than you have tried to stop my tongue, Archer. They failed. You're all flashy gold and no substance."

"Why you…" Whatever imprecation Archer was about to make was interrupted by a burst of black mist from nearby. Loki, who had managed to move in the opposite direction, stared at what emerged. It looked like a knight in full plate armour, but wreathed in a writhing black mist, the very surface of its armour having a flickering grain like a human film. The visor was a glowing red glare. The growl that emanated from its helmet was eldritch, inhuman. Loki found himself remembering the Destroyer.

" _Loki, that new Servant is, by process of elimination, Berserker. But he or she has some sort of effect that prevents my discerning any properties of him_ ," Medea sent to him via mental link.

Loki nodded, hearing a similar assessment from Waver. Archer, meanwhile, noticed that Berserker seemed to be glaring at him in particular. "You dare blight me with your gaze, you rabid cur?" Archer said, shifting the position of the weapons to aim at Berserker. "You should hope that your demise grants me some small scraps of entertainment."

And then, the two weapons shot out. Loki blinked. His Frost Giant senses allowed him to perceive what had happened, but it didn't make it any less hard to believe. That damned Berserker, for a class known for brute strength and no sanity, had managed to snatch one of the weapons, a sword, out of the air, and used it to attack the second weapon, causing an explosion.

Archer, frustrated, began summoning more weapons via his Noble Phantasm. Loki, dispelling the illusion, said to the others, "Get back! I think discretion's going to be the better part of valour!"

"Why warn us?" Diarmuid demanded as they backed away from the battle between Archer and Berserker.

"You're more amusing alive than dead!" Loki said, though some instinct within him said that that was mostly a lie. Though he had to wonder why. "And those two don't seem like they wouldn't react well to gadflies."

" _Does anyone react well to gadflies annoying them?_ " Medea asked wryly via their link.

The battle, such as it was, was spectacular, Loki had to admit. Archer fired off weapons that had to be Noble Phantasms, but Berserker either dodged them, or else snatched them to use for its own use. Archer snarled in frustration when Berserker managed to slice up the lamppost he had been perched on. "You filthy mongrel! I belong in the heavens, and yet you bring me down to the base earth with you?"

More golden ripples appeared in the air, but then, Archer snarled, as if hearing something. "Damn you, Tokiomi, I am not your dog to command as you will! This isn't over!" With a flurry of golden mist, he was gone.

But then, Berserker's attention turned to the remaining group. And Loki knew that its attention was focused on Arturia. Someone she knew? A Knight of the Round Table, in the form of a Berserker Servant? Or one of her enemies, perhaps? Mordred?

The knight-like Servant suddenly convulsed and roared, tassel-like tendrils sprouting from its back. Thinking quickly, Loki formed a number of illusory doppelgangers, changing them so that they resembled Arturia, and sent them to distract Berserker, who roared and lunged at them, wielding part of the broken lamppost like a spear.

"Good thinking, Loki," Iskandar remarked. "But look at the lamppost. See how it's blackened and covered in glowing red cracks?"

Loki nodded as he saw what Iskandar pointed out. "What does that entail?"

"Whatever he grabs onto becomes his Noble Phantasm," Iskandar declared quietly.

Now that was interesting. Not to mention somewhat frightening. Loki kept spamming doppelgangers of Arturia at Berserker, only to have to dive to the side when Diarmuid tried to attack him. "That was very rude," he said mildly.

"So is impugning the honour of my Master," Diarmuid said.

"As I said, I can't impugn what doesn't exist. Then again, honour tends to lower one's IQ, doesn't it? My family went on about honour, and yet, they were liars, thieves, and murderers. Uncultured brutes who thought scholars were beneath them. At least I am honest about what I am." As he dodged a spear thrust from Diarmuid, he looked over at Arturia. "Though I daresay my fool of a brother might learn more from you, Arturia, about what honour and self-restraint means. If he can get over the fact that you are a woman. I doubt he will. He took centuries to get used to Lady Sif being a warrior."

"Enough!" Diarmuid snapped. "Stop dodging me and face me!"

Loki sneered, before with a burst of speed, took Diarmuid by surprise. While a Frost Giant like Loki wasn't quite as fast as a Servant, Diarmuid had been working on the assumption that Loki had, at best, the power of a human athlete. But Loki was far more than a human.

He got inside Diarmuid's guard, and thrust a palm into his chest, channelling his magic to send the Irish Servant flying into a shipping container, ice encasing him. "Be careful voicing your desires, Diarmuid of the Love Spot, lest you find yourself not enjoying them when you attain them."

Diarmuid was managing to break the ice, but with a little difficulty. Meanwhile, Berserker had fought its way through the doppelgangers, and was roaring as it ran at Arturia. It was at that time that Iskandar decided to take action, spurring his chariot to run down Berserker, who was trampled. Damaged, it tried to get to its feet, only to sag, and disappear in a cloud of black mist.

Loki then looked for Kayneth, spotting the shadowy silhouette on a nearby roof. "Well, do you really want to continue this? Two Servants, a Magus, and me against you and your Servant. I heard Lancers have rather appalling luck. Would you care to try yours?"

Kayneth scowled. "Lancer, withdraw. Loki, there will be a reckoning for the humiliation you put me through."

"Did you ever get revenge on Zelretch when he put you through hell? Assuming he ever noticed a lowly poor excuse for a Magus, anyway. I can't imagine why, you are fun to annoy."

The strangled noise that came from Kayneth's mouth couldn't be properly described as human, even as he left, Diarmuid also fading into the air with a scowl. Iskandar then roared with laughter. "You, my friend, are living up to your reputation."

"And you need to turn the volume down," Loki snarked back.

"Saber," Iskandar said, turning his attention to Arturia. "I shall wait until either you or Lancer is the victor of your duel. Honour dictates that." He looked down at a now-catatonic Waver. "Hmm, the boy needs rest, I daresay. Too much excitement, a common malady of the young. Fare thee well."

After Iskandar left, Arturia and Irisviel looked at Loki warily. He held up his hands. "I am not here to fight. Not yet. Besides, I don't think you'd like fighting me, Arturia. I don't subscribe to honour in combat."

"And yet, you distracted Berserker," Arturia pointed out.

"As I said, you are amusing. And I pity you for having a Master who is little more than an assassin with the barest shreds of conscience."

"I need not your pity, and I will not be your amusement, Loki."

"Regarding the latter, you have little choice in the matter. Your exploits were legendary, but you were only human, Arturia. I, however, have been mistaken for a god. By credulous fools, true, but with good reason. Though you act more like royalty than that oaf Iskandar or that narcissistic Archer. More dignified. You'd make a better ruler of Asgard than my father or brother."

"You mock me in one breath, and yet compliment me with the next," Arturia said with a scowl.

"And? How many of your precious Knights of the Round Table told you what they really thought? Lies are insidious, Arturia, but the truth can sometimes be the most painful weapon of all. I may be known as Loki Liesmith, but I know that better than anyone." Once more, he thought back to what Odin admitted to him, and scowled. "Goodbye, both of you. Perhaps when we next meet, it may be under better circumstances." And with that, he used an illusion spell to make himself invisible, not trusting Kiritsugu or his assistant to try something. He decided to tail those two for a while, though. Medea, who was monitoring them, had noticed that they were planning something.

A most productive evening all round, Loki thought. Still, he would have to be careful. He had exposed himself to the other Masters. True, they didn't know enough about his true nature to be able to discern how much of a threat he was, which was one of the reasons he revealed himself in such a manner. That, and he knew that would be soiling themselves. They would either think him Caster, or else Caster's Master. And his demonstration with Diarmuid showed that he wasn't beyond fighting physically if he needed to.

But his full powers, well, he had yet to show those. And he was yet to reveal Caster to the world. And he was going to enjoy turning these fools into quivering wrecks…

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. The end of the first night. Loki's owned Diarmuid and hurt his pride (poor Diarmuid: he doesn't deserve it, well, except for being blindly loyal to a prick like Kayneth). Now, Loki can't go toe to toe against a Servant if they go all out, unless they're a weak one, but if he catches them by surprise, he can defeat them. Diarmuid underestimated him.**

 **Next chapter, Loki meets a priest, a hotel gets demolished with guests still inside, and Odin, Thor, and Frigga watch a horror film, a comedy, and a tragedy…and it's all the same movie.**

 **This will be the last update, in all likelihood, before Christmas. Keep an eye out for the Christmas Update, Santa's Story Sack, to be published around Christmas time. As of publishing this chapter, there's a new chapter of this story held back for that update, along with new chapters for** ** _Verdant Magic, Haemophilia, Newport Mage, In Spite of Appearances, Observations of a Wannabe Kunoichi, Kunoichi and Tanuki, The Uncertainty Principle_** **, and** ** _La Vita Nuova_** **. I hope to have other stories updated at that time, but no promises (keep an eye on the profile for updates to the list).**

 **However, there is also be a new crossover story I am publishing alongside this chapter, in case you're interested. It's the first three chapters of a crossover (the very first marked one, in fact) between** ** _Undertale_** **and** ** _Final Fantasy X_** **. It's called** ** _What Lies Beneath_** **. There also may be another** ** _Undertale_** **crossover in the works, but I don't know for sure. Stay tuned.**

 **Review-answering time!** **KazuSakai** **: I'm glad you liked that line. Kiritsugu is at least smart enough to realise that, if Zelretch has sent Loki, he wouldn't want the Grail. And while your logic is sound, Kiritsugu also realises that Zelretch would be more likely to send someone to stir things up rather than get the Grail. Kiritsugu, later on, will come to see Loki as both hindrance and help.**

 **SkySage24** **: Being a good tactician doesn't necessarily make you smart in other areas: Thor may be intelligent in that area, but I reckon he's somewhat specialised. And even being over a thousand years old wouldn't necessarily make you smart despite your argument, especially as Thor seems to enjoy feasting and drinking. I got the feeling that Thor let Loki do some of the thinking outside the battlefield. He'd be certainly more knowledgeable about some things that humans wouldn't know, but keep in mind, he's astonished at how smart humans like Jane Foster or Selvig are. I think of Thor as being of a TL;DR mindset. Iskandar is smarter if only because he's more willing to learn (especially outside battlefield tactics) than Thor is. Hell, the first thing he does upon being summoned by Waver? He breaks into a library and steals an atlas AND a copy of the Iliad or the Odyssey (depending on the version). I think Loki will come to think of Iskandar as the version of Thor he wished he had as a brother, though the Grail dialogue will probably mar this. We'll have to agree to disagree on Thor: I think of him as reserving his intelligence mostly for combat.**

 **iledian** **: Loki doesn't know about Irisviel being the Lesser Grail. He may yet learn that, though, and he will redouble his efforts to piss off Kiritsugu…and give Irisviel a good time before she dies. In a mundane, platonic way.**

 **Time Hollow** **: I just wanted to use the line from** ** _The Avengers_** **.**

 **1\. This is a common joke, but I first heard a variation of this in the** ** _Doctor Who_** **audio drama** ** _Night Thoughts_** **. If you ever want to hear** ** _Doctor Who_** **'s take on a cerebral slasher flick, give** ** _Night Thoughts_** **a go.**


	8. Chapter 7: The Assassins, the Trickster,

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **THE ASSASSINS, THE TRICKSTER, AND THE PRIEST**

To Odin, it was a horror film. To Thor, it was a comedy. To Frigga, it was a tragedy. It was the same movie, so to speak, that they were all watching on the crystal ball Zelretch had left.

Odin had mixed feelings about this. True, it was partially his fault that Loki had strayed so far, keeping the truth hidden from him. But Loki's attempted genocide of the Frost Giants was beyond the pale, to say the least. And to see Loki goad these humans and those Servants…he felt no reassurance that Loki wasn't slipping into worse habits, despite Zelretch's claims that this was a much-needed catharsis.

Thor was entertained, despite himself. As much as Loki's insults against him stung, and Loki's own betrayals stung even worse, he had to admit, he was enjoying the show. True, Loki wasn't showing the humans much respect, but given how Loki had looked down on humans before, pranking them seemed a step up from his elitist attitude. Thor wasn't quite ready to forgive Loki, but he had to admit, it was good to see his brother alive, well, and healing. He hoped. He did miss him, he realised. He just wanted him back in Asgard, with things back the way they were, even though some part of him knew that that was an impossible dream.

Frigga was sad. Sad because she felt that she had failed Loki. She had failed him, because he had done all those horrid things, and had learned of the lie she had kept all these years. She wondered whether she was fit to be a mother. She was sad, and even afraid, of what Loki would say to her if and when he came back.

Odin soon left after the battle, and Thor left as well. Frigga was left alone with the crystal ball, showing her son. She then sensed an intruder. "I only need to call out once…or perhaps I will show you why I am Queen. It is not merely because I married Odin."

"I come in peace, Lady Frigga," a deep voice said. "I bring no pranks for you to endure."

"You'll forgive me if I don't believe you, Zelretch," Frigga said, looking up at the vampire.

Zelretch shrugged. "Asgard is far from welcoming to those of my ilk. Those who enjoy disrupting the so-called natural order, those who wage war with the mind and with words than with muscle and steel. It's one of the factors causing Loki's resentment. Bringing him to my world is a way of giving him an outlet, to vent his anger and odium until he is calm enough to see you all again without it devolving into a shouting match. At least, not too quickly."

"Heimdall said that, if you hadn't intercepted him, he would have fallen into the hands of Thanos," Frigga said quietly. "For that much, if nothing else, you have my thanks. But what would Thanos have used Loki for?"

"Thanos, as you know, desires the Infinity Stones," Zelretch said. "He possesses one, the Mind Stone, but the others elude him. He's found out that the Tesseract, which contains the Space Stone, resides on Earth in the possession of the human agency known as SHIELD, whom Thor encountered. He also has agents searching for the last whereabouts of the other Infinity Stones. So too does Taneleer Tivan, better known as the Collector, though he covets them because of his obsession with collecting rare things. I have limited ability to see into the future, and I saw that Loki would have been influenced by Thanos to lead an army of Chitauri against Earth. He didn't care whether Thanos used the Infinity Stones to wreak havoc, he cared more about dominating Earth to spite Thor and Odin, as well as to prove that he was a king."

"Is letting him fight in this Grail War any better?"

"Yes. Loki would have been partly controlled by Thanos, influenced by the Mind Stone, but not controlled outright. He would have had his resentment and misanthropy brought to the fore. However, as I said before, bringing him into the Grail War acts as a catharsis. And in truth, he is targeting those who have a surfeit of hubris. Not to mention that, through his actions, he may be able to prevent a disaster."

"A disaster?"

"As I said, I can only see the future dimly. But there is something wrong with the Holy Grail. Something evil and malign tainting it. I only have suspicions about what it is, and what caused it. This, like Thor's exile, may very well forge Loki in a way that makes him better than he was, Lady Frigga. Thanos will still send his forces to Earth…but hopefully, by the time they do make their move, Loki will be there to help his brother drive them off."

"I hope you are right," Frigga said quietly. "I don't want to have to choose between my sons…"

* * *

Climbing up the staircase of a building in a construction site was not Loki's idea of a good time. Not because he was physically tired, but because it was tedious and monotonous. However, Medea had helped him track Kiritsugu Emiya and the Maiya woman to this spot, which was outside the hotel they had just left.

As Loki reached the floor where Maiya was, he saw the dark-haired woman, a rifle at the ready, as well as preparing a detonator. "The evacuation seems to be finished," she said quietly into a radio.

Whatever Kiritsugu's response, Loki didn't hear it. She must've been wearing some sort of earpiece. Loki, out of curiosity walked up next to her, and then sat down, removing the invisibility as he did so. Almost instantly, Maiya reacted, swinging her barrel to bear on Loki. "Kiritsugu, Loki is right here!" she hissed. After a few seconds, she said, "No, he's just sitting here." After another few seconds, she said, "Understood." To him, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Curiosity," Loki said. "And kindly point that thing away from me. I'm just curious to see what you and Kiritsugu have cooked up this time." He looked at the masses of people just outside a hotel. The very hotel Loki and Medea had been staying in. "Let me guess, you're trying to deal with Lancer and his boor of a Master."

After a moment, Maiya handed an earpiece to Loki. "Talk to him if you want to talk to anyone."

"Thank you," Loki said, fitting it, and turning it on. It must've been connected to the phone Maiya had. "Hello?"

" _Loki. If you hurt Maiya_ …"

"Leave the threats for another time. I'm here to watch whatever fireworks you have cooked up. That's a nice hotel. I was staying in it until a few hours ago. I moved to another base of operations, and no, I'm not telling you where. However, I'm sure Lancer, his Master, and his supply of mana are still up there."

" _Supply of mana?_ "

"Yes, his fiancée is supplying the mana to keep Lancer in the world, while Kayneth is the one with the Command Seals. He also has a rather amusing collection of deathtraps on his floor, given what we listened in on."

" _I know about the traps._ "

"Hmm. Well, he also has a magical blob of mercury he can command at will. Something called the Volumen Hydragyrum. I don't know whether that will be useful."

"… _Perhaps. But the traps won't be of use to him. He will be staying where he is, on the top floor, expecting me to come and fight him._ "

Loki frowned. "But you have a different idea, judging by your tone. And the fact that you seem to have evacuated the rest of the hotel."

" _Yes. It's funny that you should mention fireworks, Loki. Maiya? Hit it._ "

Maiya nodded, before she activated the detonator. A series of explosions began to tear through the hotel in key points of its structure. The building collapsed in on itself in a spectacular implosion. As the roar of collapsing masonry died away, Loki stared. Kiritsugu had a rather lateral, if violent, solution to the problem. "Gravity and rubble are harsh mistresses indeed," Loki remarked.

Then, Maiya was moving to avoid an attack. Loki soon followed suit, though he was caught out of cover, with Maiya already in hiding. And facing him was death.

The man was in his twenties, perhaps, with handsome features, albeit with a somewhat impassive demeanour. He was dressed in the garb of a priest, and he had just impaled the detonator with a bayonet. Loki had the feeling that getting stabbed by that was going to be even more troublesome than being stabbed by something made out of mere steel. Indeed, the man screamed danger to Loki's senses.

"Hard to imagine that a Magus would blow up an entire building," the man remarked in a deep, resonant voice. "Then again, Magi are notoriously conservative in tactics and technology, and the Magus Killer is known for outwitting them. But I wonder, has he truly allied with this…person claiming to be Loki?"

"I don't claim." Over their mental link, Loki demanded, " _Medea, who is this?_ "

" _This is Kirei Kotomine. Loki, be careful._ "

"And I am not the Magus Killer's ally, though I will take umbrage if he or his cohorts are harmed, prematurely," Loki concluded for Kirei's benefit. "Then again, considering that you have an alliance with Tohsaka, and are the son of the Overseer, other Masters and Servants need all the help they can get."

Kirei's eyes narrowed. "And how, pray, do you come to such a conclusion?"

"That's for me to know, and you to not," Loki said. He noticed Maiya preparing to escape.

"The woman is being recalcitrant," Kirei said. "I want her to answer a question for me. Where is the one she was helping?" He then fling a dead bird at her hiding spot. Loki noticed a camera attached to it.

"You know, flinging dead birds at women doesn't help win their hearts," Loki snarked. "Flowers are a better bet." With a gesture, he created more illusory doppelgangers, shaping them into Maiya, and causing confusion. Loki noted that Kirei, instead of flinging them at the doubles, merely waited. Even as Maiya, the real one, fled, Kirei remained on standby, even as a blast of smoke emanated from a grenade, presumably something Kiritsugu threw in. As the smoke dissipated, Kirei moved over to the elevator shaft, and peered down it. He then turned away, and came back over to Loki.

"You interfered. And yet, you didn't try to attack me. What's to stop me from trying to kill you?"

"Curiosity?" Loki supposed. "You're interested in Kiritsugu Emiya…that much is obvious. Why single him out?"

"That is none of your concern."

"I'm sure the Magus Killer would say the same thing to your…curiosity. Another thing that's stopping you is the uncertainty, that whether I am a Master or Servant, I may give you difficulty at the very least." As he looked at Kirei's eyes, Loki realised something else. There was a haunted look in them, a yearning that Loki saw in the mirror. "And you're searching for something, something that you think Kiritsugu Emiya can give you. Hard truths to pierce through the lies. A _raison d'etre_ , as I believe humans call it. A meaning for your life. I might be able to help you." The words, even as Loki spoke them to Kirei, seemed to be directed towards himself as much as the priest. On an impulse, as a final flourish, he said, "Rejoice, my son, for soon, all your dreams will come true!"

Kirei stared at him in utter astonishment. Then, after a moment, he said, "I must be mad to even consider this. You give the name of an infamous trickster god from the Norse pantheon, you are at least a powerful Magus, possibly not human. And yet…you are right. Curiosity is a compelling force. And if you try anything, I can have Assassin cut you down, assuming I can't do the job myself. Though I have to ask, given your track record, do you know a Dead Apostle Ancestor by the name of Zelretch?"

"You might think that, I couldn't possibly comment," Loki said with a smirk(1).

"By the way, nice line. The one about rejoicing about fulfilled dreams," Kirei said, as he indicated for Loki to come with him. "I think I might use that one day."

"Well, assuming you survive this Grail War, I'm sure you can give it a good home," Loki said. And with that, the priest and the trickster made their way out of the construction site. Not exactly allies, but certainly not as foes. At least not for the time being…

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. The beginning of an unholy alliance between Loki and Kirei. I'm hoping that, with this fic at least, that I can redeem Kirei…or at least turn him aside from being a villain. At the very least, we're going to have a funny little bromance here. No slash, though. I wouldn't know how to write that properly anyway, even if I did.**

 **Review-answering time! Many of you are going on about how Thor is smart. Here, he is smart in battle, but not book smart or cultured. And for those quoting stats about the Earth-616 Thor,** ** _this is not him_** **. Anyway, my story, my rules. And Thor will be pretty much a non-entity in this story, as well as much about him being considered from Loki's POV, and Loki is prejudiced.**

 **SkySage24** **: Enkidu would probably have little effect, beyond that on normal mortals.**

 **edboy4926** **: Given that Berserker/Lancelot turns whatever he touches into his own Noble Phantasm, the answer would be a tentative yes.**

 **Thess** **: I'm mostly going on what happens in** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, along with what I see on the wiki. I don't go into details unless they affect the story greatly. And there are different kinds of divinity. Human avatars of gods, demigods, or fallen gods (Medusa falls into the latter category) can be summoned.**

 **Kaiser Dragon** **: Loki is closer to his MCU counterpart, and given that this is derived from the** ** _Thor_** **film, that should be obvious. He is superhuman, yes, and he shares many of the properties you stated, but not to the degrees that were listed.**

 **Lancelot du Loc** **: I intend to have him eventually rescue Sakura, yes. I need to find a way of having him meet Kariya first, though.**

 **1\. While** ** _House of Cards_** **is best known for the American series featuring Kevin Spacey, there was an earlier, British adaptation of the novel, featuring Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, who had a catchphrase of "You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment". In the original series, he did this to Mattie whenever she came to the conclusions he wanted her to come to, but couldn't say out loud.**


	9. Chapter 8: Priests and Pain

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **PRIESTS AND PAIN**

During the trip back, Loki learned quite a bit about Kirei Kotomine. Loki knew a little about the Executors from the book Zelretch had given him, but Kirei helped clarify a few points. Effectively, Kirei was, like Kiritsugu, an assassin trained and retained by the Church as an assassin, mostly of vampires and rogue Magi, as well as heretics. Kirei was extremely skilled for a human being, and Loki had the feeling that Kirei had the edge, physically speaking. Loki may be stronger, but Kirei seemed to be more agile, and one had to be the best of the best to go up against Dead Apostles.

"Why do you desire the Holy Grail, Loki?" Kirei asked.

"Who said I desire the Grail?" Loki said.

"Master or Servant, nobody enters into the Grail War without a desire. I am guessing that you are a Master, despite the apparent lack of Command Seal on your hand. You also implied knowing Zelretch, and it's more likely he knows Masters than Servants. And the Grail cannot summon deities as Servants. Demigods and gods who fall from grace like Medusa are exceptions to the rule(1)."

"Well, to rebut your point, when I came here, Caster was about to be summoned by a man by the name of Ryuunosuke Uryu. He was a vile serial killer who seemed to think he was summoning a demon, not a Heroic Spirit. He didn't know a thing about the Grail. There is no desire on the Grail I want that I cannot fulfil myself, and even then, I have to be somewhat sceptical of the wish-granting ability of it. You have heard of the term 'monkey's paw', haven't you?"

"Of course. So you participate in the Grail War because…"

"Zelretch suggested it. He said I could take some upstart mages down a peg or two. And given what happened to me recently, well…I need a holiday, of sorts."

"And do you consider me a potential victim?"

"I don't know. I'm curious about you. What's your desire for the Grail?"

"I don't have one. And yet, the Command Seals appeared on me three years ago."

"Which means the Grail chose you because of a desire," Loki mused.

"I believe that one of those who has the answers I seek is Kiritsugu Emiya. He's an assassin, driven and lethal. Sometimes, it's like looking into a mirror. And yet, he confuses me."

"He's not confusing at all. I overheard his wife and Servant discussing him. He's an assassin who's torn up by his own guilty conscience. Maybe he's looking for absolution in the Grail."

Kirei scowled quite impressively. "He believes only the Grail can grant his absolution?"

"I'm only speculating here. He has a conscience, and seems to be devoted to his wife. She said something about how he can never allow himself to be happy, because it causes him pain."

They continued walking in silence up the path they were taking to the church where the Kotomines resided. After a time, Loki asked, "What do you actually desire, Kirei?" Kirei remained silent. "Not from the Grail. Do you have any actual desires in life to fulfil?"

"Why would I want to indulge in anything so sinful?" Kirei snapped, irritably.

"I never said anything of the sort. I know priests take vows of celibacy and temperance, even if they don't always keep them." Loki realised that he had hit a sore spot for Kirei. His question was intentional, true, but he hadn't been expecting this kind of effect. "There are material desires I'm sure that the Catholic Church does not object to, and spiritual desires that they would endorse." He blinked when he realised what he had asked…and how Kirei had answered. _Do you have any actual desires in life? Why would I want to indulge in anything so sinful?_

 _His desires are of a sinful kind, an abhorrent kind_ , Loki realised. _He hates himself_.

After a moment, Loki said, "I had many desires myself, once. I was son to Odin, and brother to Thor. Adopted, as I later found out. I wished to have them acknowledge me, but…Asgard values brawn over brains. Magic is considered a thing for old scholars and women. I wanted to be king. But now…I know what a damned fool I was. They'd never let me be king, not with accursed blood running through my veins."

"That of a Jotun or Frost Giant," Kirei said. "I know something of Norse myth."

"I didn't learn until recently," Loki said. "Can you imagine what it's like, being told tales since your childhood of monsters like Laufey, only to find out you were one yourself?"

Kirei's expression was pensive, betraying his thoughts. He seemed to be thinking that he himself was a monster, if Loki was any judge.

"Having my desires shattered one by one…that is what I suffered. My so-called family and I had something of a disagreement. Even now, I'm not sure what is lies and what is truth. Ironic, is it not? I'm called Loki Liesmith, but I cannot tell how much the love I had been shown by my family was sincere. About the only one I believe did show me any true love was my mother, Frigga. And given how I treated Thor, I'm not sure she would welcome me back." Loki scoffed, and quoted, in Latin, " _Pater peccavi._ " Father, I have sinned. The traditional opening of a Catholic confession.

"I don't do confessions. Not normally," Kirei said. "Giving or taking them."

"Well, do you believe in God, then?"

After a moment, Kirei admitted, "It's sometimes hard to believe when He creates someone like me."

* * *

Kirei wouldn't be drawn on that remark as they finally approached the church. The man that greeted them was old, albeit indeterminably so, but apparently very fit for their age. Loki could tell that beneath the priest's garb, the man was a physical powerhouse. This must be Kirei's father. Risei Kotomine seemed wary of Loki, until a look from his son had the man relaxing a little.

"You shouldn't venture far, son. You have claimed sanctuary in the church…" Risei said.

"Which is why I've brought your prodigal son back to you," Loki said with a smile. "I know Assassin is still alive. But to tell the truth, I don't really care. I am not here for the Grail. I am here to cause a little mischief, shaking up the Grail War, adding a certain spice, a piquancy, to the whole affair. You two seem to be doing just fine on your own."

Risei looked at Kirei, who said, "He seems to be an associate of Zelretch, father."

"Hmm. I wondered if that Dead Apostle would ever get involved, even if by proxy. Are you really Loki of Asgard?"

"That was my home for many centuries. That is why I introduced myself as Loki of Asgard last night."

Risei peered at him. "Are you from another universe? I know Zelretch has access to other universes."

"You are perceptive. Yes, I am."

"So you are not a Servant, but a Master. And not a god."

Loki held up a hand. "Asgardians were mistaken for gods back home. I am not of their number, but I am certainly not human."

"We could tell, given what Assassin saw of your fight against Lancer," Kirei said.

"So, why did you come here with my son? You are an enemy Master, of that I am almost certain, even if you have the wit to conceal your Command Seals. Attacking us here risks your censure, and even if you aren't human, the Church has people who deal with things like Dead Apostles," Risei asked.

"Curiosity. About your son more than anything else. I could care less about why you are colluding with Tokiomi Tohsaka, and I am not going to attack you. Not physically. I may taunt you, though. I haven't yet decided. Well, this has been an interesting little discourse. You are, indeed, a most interesting person, Kirei Kotomine. Should I find out exactly why Kiritsugu Emiya wants the Grail, I will relay it to you posthaste. I hope you find what you're looking for in life, with or without the Grail."

"May God be with you, Loki," Risei said. It seemed that the old priest was not without a sense of irony.

* * *

As he walked through the forest, he heard Medea speak through their mental link. " _Loki, I believe I have found Berserker's Master. He is in the dock area, not far from where last night's battle was._ "

" _Hmm. Anything of note?_ "

" _He seems physically unwell, to say the least. A side effect of whatever magecraft he uses, perhaps._ "

" _Hmm. I get the feeling there's more to this than meets the eye_ ," Loki said. " _Medea, before I come to Ryuudou Temple, I'll go and see Berserker's Master. At worst, I have found someone new to torment. At best…_ "

" _Loki, I can teleport myself there, and disguise myself as you._ "

" _Well, perhaps we should go together._ "

* * *

Once he was far enough away from the Church, Loki summoned up Medea, who appeared in a swirl of robes. They were in amongst some trees to conceal them. They soon used Medea's ability to head down to the warehouse where Medea spotted Berserker's Master.

As they approached, Medea having changed her apparel into modern clothing, she asked, "Loki, is this wise, bearding Berserker's Master in their den? Berserker has the most raw strength of any Servant, after all. The only reason I agreed to this was because keeping Berserker manifested is a drain on mana reserves, more than any other Servant."

"Which is my point. He can't risk having Berserker manifested unless he needs to. Keep in mind that Berserker attacked Archer first."

"You think that was deliberate. I noticed that as well. I see what you're getting at. You believe he may be open to an alliance?"

"Yes. Even if he isn't, I may have found an interesting victim to play around with," Loki said as they entered the derelict warehouse, the door creaking loudly as they entered.

In the dim light, they saw, in a corner, a shape stirring. A pained groan emanated from the shape. As Loki's eyes became accustomed to the gloom, he realised that he was seeing a man in a tracksuit, struggling to his feet. His hood was down, revealing a face riddled with vein-like markings, his left eye milky, his skin pale, and his hair a shock of white. He looked vaguely like a stroke victim, the left side of his body limp.

Loki held up his hands in a placatory gesture. "I am not here to harm you, Master of Berserker. Not yet. I believe you recognise me from last night."

The man looked him up and down, and scoffed. "You're Loki, of Asgard," he rasped. "And you are burdened, so you claim, with glorious purpose. Who talks like that?"

"You believe that was pretentious? You should hear the rest of Asgard speak," Loki said, subtly casting one of his compulsion charms, designed to relax and loosen the tongue of the man.

The man looked over at Medea. "I thought so. You're the Master, and she's the Servant. Caster, I presume."

Medea gave a slight bow. "You're very ill."

The man laughed, though the mirthless sound degenerated into pained coughing. "Dying. I just haven't got the time to yet. I like what you did with Tohsaka's Servant," he said to Loki. "That's the only reason I haven't called Berserker yet. So, why are you here?"

"Curiosity. What is your name, Master of Berserker? I believe you are a Matou, by process of elimination. Am I right?"

The man laughed again, bitterly. "I wish you weren't. I'm Kariya Matou. And you want to know about me, out of curiosity?" This last question had a disbelieving edge to it.

"Yes. Believe it or not, I personally have no desire for the Grail. I was sent here by Zelretch mostly to cause some discord. But I have found myself intrigued by the people participating. I have to wonder, what happened to you to end up in such a…degraded state?"

Kariya scoffed. "Crest Worms."

Medea gasped next to Loki, who looked at her sharply. "Crest Worms are considered the lowest form of familiar," she explained. "Crest Worms are parasites that feed on the body and act as Magic Circuits, feeding you prana in return. In men, they feed on marrow and nervous tissue…but in women…they feed on the lining of the womb and carnal secretions. They deliberately cause sexual excitement in their female victims."

Loki gaped. He couldn't help it, he openly gaped in horror. He thought he had heard of every potentially depraved and vile thing, in his world, and others. But this…

Kariya scoffed. "So, you haven't heard of them before? Now, imagine that done to a girl not even six years old. Raped by those things."

Loki turned back to Kariya, who winced, obviously not intending to let that slip. But then, after a moment, he said, "You said you have no desire for the Grail, Loki. But would you help me save a child, abandoned by her father, told lies and made to undergo torment by her adoptive family?"

"You're quick to trust me," Loki said quietly. The compulsion charm certainly shouldn't have worked this well.

"I'm desperate. And desperate men do desperate things. That bastard Tokiomi…he gave away one of his daughters, Sakura, to that worm I am forced to call a father. Zouken Matou, a decrepit old near-vampire who uses those worms to ensure his immortality."

Medea scowled. "Did Tokiomi Tohsaka know about the Crest Worms when he gave his daughter away?"

"He had to know _something_ ," Kariya said. "He may not know everything about what our family does, but he'd suspect it, and he allowed Zouken to have his way with her. Or rather, his worms. I saw her in the pit, worms writhing all over her. In exchange for the Grail…she is freed from the fate Zouken has in store for her, so Zouken claims."

"He sounds even less trustworthy than we are, which is saying something," Loki said. He felt disgust at what new lows humans could sink to. And something resonated. "Why did Tohsaka give his daughter away in the first place?"

"To prevent a dispute over the inheritance of the Tohsaka Magic Crest, so Aoi, his wife, told me," Kariya said. Loki noted the way Kariya spoke of Aoi's name. The man was clearly infatuated with her.

Loki looked at Medea, before he turned back to Kariya. "I have no personal desire for the Grail, though I'm not sure I can say the same for Caster. Zelretch sent me here to stir things up for the Grail War. And if your patriarch is disgusting enough to defile a young child with Crest Worms…there are many things that offend my sensibilities, Kariya Matou, but despite my only knowing of them for a short period, Crest Worms have quickly become one of my most detested things. So, what would you do if I were to deal with your _pater familias_ and rescue Sakura?"

Kariya laughed painfully. "If you manage to pull that off, I'm definitely converting to your religion. It'd be a deathbed conversion, but…"

"Very well. I cannot promise success, as I am a busy man. But as what you told me about Zouken has managed to disgust and anger me more than I have been for quite a while, I am giving it not inconsiderable thought. Should I succeed…I will bring her to you."

Kariya nodded tiredly, before he said, "If you manage that…look, I need rest. I won't get my hopes up, but if you do…you'll have my lifelong gratitude…not that my life is that long now…"

* * *

As they left the warehouse, Medea asked, "Why are you so interested?"

"Humans are interesting in of themselves. It's something I've come to realise in my time on this world. I can see why Thor fell for one. But that's beside the point." Loki looked pensive, before admitting, his voice beginning to fill with emotion as he spoke of his epiphany even as he had it, "A child, abandoned by one father, to an uncertain future with another. Only…I realised…I was fortunate. Laufey was no father…but Odin…for all his faults…he never treated me in the same way Zouken Matou treated Sakura." Loki's hand clenched into a fist. "I will rescue Sakura Matou," he declared solemnly and quietly.

Not a promise. A statement of reality. Fitting, considering it came from a man mistaken for a god on another world. And Medea knew that woe would await anyone who dared to stand in his way…

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Loki's met the Kotomines. In case you're wondering why Risei spilled the beans, he is hoping that, with some truth mixed in with misdirection, he can have Loki going after their opponents. In fact, they were hoping he would go after Kariya Matou. That's backfired.**

 **I had to wonder, why would Loki help out Kariya? Well, partly because of the whole Crest Worm thing, which would be reason enough to Loki, but, as mentioned in his last lines, he has an epiphany that his life was not dissimilar to Sakura's, only he had a decent life with his adoptive family by comparison.**

 **We'll have more Loki/Medea in the next chapter.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Kaiser Dragon** **: You raise a number of good points, and** ** _mea culpa_** **, I should have looked at her abilities better. Rest assured, she will be using those abilities. That being said, I was under the impression that Casters lurked around until things were to their own advantage, before striking. That's going to be Medea's excuse in the next chapter. She wanted to gather information on the other Masters and Servants first, before striking. That is why she hasn't taken the stage yet. She's not going to rush in and start spamming Rain of Light at her foes. And she would also prefer to let other Masters and Servants try to kill each other first before swooping in, out of pragmatism. However, she and Loki will be making plans in the next chapter to obtain another Servant via Rule Breaker.**

 **1\. One of the reviewers asked about gods becoming Servants, where those like Medusa and so on. I looked it up on the Nasuverse wiki, and found the answer: demigods and gods who have 'fallen' like the Gorgons did can become Servants.**


	10. Chapter 9: Offer and Revelation

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **OFFER AND REVELATION**

Ryuudou Temple was indeed very beautiful. It wasn't as gaudy as Asgard, but that made it even more beautiful. There was a serenity here that Loki rarely found in Asgard. He was sitting out on a bench in the garden of the temple, with the quiet surroundings helping him consider matters. Namely, trying to find a way to winkle out Sakura from the clutches of Zouken Matou.

Medea walked over and sat down next to him, dressed in modern clothing. Loki was once more struck by her ethereal beauty. He knew something of her legend, of course, and considered Jason all the more a fool for discarding her in favour of Glauce. Beautiful _and_ intelligent. Then again, the Greeks weren't generally fond of intelligent women, unless they were deities like Athena. The Spartans had more respect for women than the rest of Greece at the time, but then again, the Spartans had their own quirks, some less savoury than others. Like the Helots, or their crude eugenics executed by murdering any child they thought sickly or deformed. Though Loki loved their comebacks and insults. The Spartans had tongues to rival his own.

But back to Medea. He was willing to bet that the so-called Witch of Betrayal was shaped into being who she was by what the gods did to her. The question though was…

"Medea…do you hate me because I am a god?"

Medea, after a moment's thought, said, "I have many gods to hate, but I do not hate you. You exasperate me somewhat with your impulses…but you were not of the pantheon that destroyed my life. In any case, your particular people are mortal, are they not? Long-lived and strong by human standards, but not actually gods. In any case, you are, for the most part, capable of intelligent conversation. Given what you have said about your past, you too have suffered betrayal from those you loved."

"I am glad. Thank you for putting so much trust in me, Medea. Few do."

"Do not mistake me. I am wary of you, and understandably so given your reputation. But I do not hate you. I already hate myself for my falling into treacherous ways. And I feel that you, like myself, have been wronged too often." After a pause, she then said, "I've tested some of my abilities. I believe I may be ready to walk onstage. Casters normally are at their most powerful within their lairs. The leylines here, combined with what I am getting from you, help boost my powers. But I believe if I go further abroad, my powers can be devastating. I certainly felt a lot of power at my disposal when we visited Kariya Matou. I believe that I may be able to even entrap a Servant and a Master with my power, with my _Atlas_ ability, before using Rule Breaker to obtain that Servant for my own."

"You never mentioned that before," Loki said.

"That's because I wasn't sure if it would work. We Casters must be patient, biding our time, before striking decisively. I had to be sure that I could do it. That little melee last night helped me gauge the strength of the enemy Servants, as well as their personalities, not to mention what we learned about their Masters. Lancer is a good choice, but Diarmuid is overly loyal to his Master, despite it being wholly unwarranted."

"He may have died during the Magus Killer's attack, too," Loki pointed out.

Medea shook her head. "I kept an eye on the hotel. Just before I came out to see you, I saw what looked like a ball of mercury being loaded into a truck. Given that Lancer's Master has such a Mystic Code…"

"Hmm. I'd prefer if you tell me these things sooner, Medea. But thank you. Berserker might be a possibility, except that we are considering an alliance with Kariya, in order to save Sakura. Taking Berserker from him would be too much of a gesture of bad faith. Archer has Independent Action, and given the impression I made last night, I doubt he would willingly submit. We may have a potential ally with Kirei Kotomine, so we won't target Assassin for now. That leaves Rider and Saber, aka Alexander the Great and Arturia. I'm personally leaning towards Arturia. Her relationship with Kiritsugu Emiya may be a fractious one, and while she has her code of honour, unlike Lancer, she does not seem as devoted to her Master, only staying with him out of obligation."

"And Arturia is one of the most powerful Saber Servants," Medea mused. "Whereas Alexander seems set on sticking with his Master. And I doubt he would be content bending the knee. I doubt Arturia would either, but we could play on the fact that Kiritsugu did not respect her or her abilities. She won't be happy, but it may quell some of the rebellious tendencies."

"They'll be based, at least for the time being, at the Einzbern Castle on the outskirts of Fuyuki," Loki mused, thinking back to the book Zelretch gave him.

Medea suddenly flinched. "A Servant is here. I erected Bounded Fields to alert us to their approach. They are staying at the very edge of the Bounded Fields. They are inviting us there."

"Let's see who has come up here, then," Loki said.

* * *

The woman was slender and athletic, with long purple hair done up in a ponytail, and a beautiful tanned face, albeit one where the eyes glinted coldly. She was dressed in simple black clothing. Loki and Medea were wary.

"Loki and Caster," the woman said. "My Master, Kirei Kotomine, sent me here to treat with you."

"So, you are Assassin?" Loki asked. "Sans skull mask, I see."

"This is the disguise I take when I walk amongst the living, to hide in plain sight," Assassin said. "I advertised my presence deliberately. My Master, as I have stated before, sent me here to treat with you."

Loki and Medea looked at each other, before they nodded. "What does your Master want?" Loki asked.

"Through me, he has gained intelligence that Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald has survived the attack on his hotel, and intends to wreak revenge on Kiritsugu Emiya tonight." A smirk played about Assassin's lips. "He also wished for your prolonged and painful demise, but he was unable to locate you. My Master believes that, when Kayneth attacks, along with Lancer, Kiritsugu will send the two women assisting him to safety, while sending his Saber Servant to stop Lancer. My Master intends to intercept the two women who work with Kiritsugu in the confusion, in order to confirm why Kiritsugu desires the Grail. He desires your assistance in the matter."

"He is quick to trust us," Medea said.

Assassin smiled. "My Master is not to be trifled with. But he is intrigued by your Master. It is less a matter of trust, and more of a matter of interest. He had an unexpected visitor since you brought him back to the church: Archer. Archer is also interested in the assorted Masters of the Grail War, and despite your angering of him, he finds you interesting too, Loki of Asgard."

"Would he find me interesting enough not to turn me into a pincushion when we next meet?" Loki asked.

"No. I was watching, albeit from concealment, during their conversation. He said, and I quote, ' _If that Asgardian serpent makes the mistake of showing his face in my divine presence again, I may not be able to refrain from turning him into mince_ '. Archer seems to have taken a particular interest in my Master. But my Master has taken an interest in you. Meet him outside the church at six if you agree." With that, her appearance shifted to a dark-skinned, muscled woman with the same hair, her face concealed by the skull mask of the Hassan-i Sabbah, dressed only in trousers and broad strips of cloth supporting her breasts, before she vanished in a cloud of darkness.

They turned and walked back to the Temple. As they did so, Medea asked, "Do you intend to agree?"

"Of course. If I am right, though, he may be an effective distraction for Kiritsugu, so we may snatch Arturia from under his nose."

Medea pursed her lips. "Risky. Especially as she will be fighting Diarmuid. If I start fighting them and am unable to use _Atlas_ , they may team up to bring me down. I'll use my Dragon Tooth Warriors as a suitable distraction to try and drive them apart."

"Use them before revealing yourself. Wear them out," Loki said. "You may be my Servant, but you are far from expendable. Do not take any unnecessary risks." He blinked as a thought occurred to him. "You know, if we do manage to obtain Arturia, I know how we can persuade her to aid us willingly. Once we have used Rule Breaker, anyway."

"How?"

"Ask her to help us rescue Sakura," Loki said. "What knight wouldn't want to rescue a fair maiden in distress?"

"That could work, and she would be something of a boon," Medea mused. "This could be a trap."

"Perhaps. But I think I have engaged Kirei Kotomine's interest just as he has mine…"

* * *

After spending the day preparing and napping (well, Loki napped: a Frost Giant he might be, but even he needed sleep), Loki and Medea used her teleportation to make their way to the church, where Kirei was waiting. He seemed mildly surprised to see them appear in a swirl of Medea's robes (with Medea now back in her robes). "Loki. Caster," he said politely, if warily.

"Kirei Kotomine," Medea acknowledged. "My Master is intrigued by you. We will be using my abilities to make our way to the edge of the Bounded Fields of the Einzbern Castle. Is Assassin stationed there?"

"One of them is," Kirei admitted, finally conceding to the existence of multiple Assassins. "Keep in mind that, should you betray me, my father and Tohsaka will view this as a violation of my being in sanctuary, and will bring their influence to bear on you, even bringing the other Masters in to hunt you down. They had besought me not to bring you along, saying that you are untrustworthy."

"Well, they are correct. But I won't be killing you yet, if at all, Kirei," Loki said. "You interest me."

"Archer said the same thing," Kirei said. "What is it about me that is so fascinating?"

"Little things that add up," Loki said. "During our walk here earlier, you seemed to be filled with more self-loathing and guilt than is natural for even a Catholic. I doubted you indulged in child molestation because, let's face it, that is a somewhat too-frequent assumption. You seemed more like the sort to eviscerate and exsanguinate a paedophile."

"Indeed," Kirei said. "I had done that very thing before. A priest I was ordered to terminate with extreme prejudice. I enjoyed his last moments."

And there is was, Loki realised. Kirei had let slip, albeit quite by accident, why he hated himself. The brief expression of both passion and shame that flitted across his features betrayed him. "You enjoy making people suffer," Loki murmured. "That is why you hate yourself."

Kirei flinched. It was barely noticeable, given how stoic the priest was, but it was there. He did flinch even more when Loki put an arm around his shoulders, smiling. "Maybe I have the solution for you."

Kirei all but shoved Loki away from him. "Get thee behind me," he snapped.

"I'm not Satan. I'm not the Devil. I am merely Loki," Loki said. "But I can help you."

"Nobody can. Nobody understands me."

"I do. And I have a possible solution. Suffering for the deserving. Not so much as physical suffering, but mental and emotional. Via pranks. After all, well, did your Assassin see what I did to Kiritsugu Emiya?"

"Froze his gun and dropped him off a crane, albeit without killing him. And the Master of Lancer was most vocal about the humiliations you put him through, according to Assassin," Kirei said. "He made a number of lurid threats, most of them revolving around removing your member and force-feeding it to you."

"Charming," Medea remarked.

"Indeed. Though I'd like to see him try," Loki said with a smirk. "Well then, Kirei Kotomine, shall we?"

Kirei sighed, his reluctance now that Loki and Medea knew the truth apparent. But he allowed himself to be taken by them to the forest surrounding the Einzbern Castle, there, to wait for the right time to strike…

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, we've got Kirei having exposed his secret to Loki, and the beginnings of a fruitful partnership. Oh, and Medea and Loki plan to add Arturia to their collection.**

 **Medea's discussion of her powers came about due to Kaiser Dragon pointing out how powerful she was. Which is why I wrote in the explanation, that Medea wanted to bide her time and assess the competition first.**

 **Review-answering time!** **demonic hellfire** **: In the unlikely event that I do a sequel involving the events of** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **, I am SO doing that.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	11. Chapter 10: Truth and Theft

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **TRUTH AND THEFT**

Through her viewing crystal, Medea had kept an eye on the entrance of the Einzbern Castle. When she saw Arturia run out, and then, Kayneth move in with his Volumen Hydragyrum, she disappeared in a swirl of robes, looking to intercept Arturia and Diarmuid. It was at that point when Loki and Kirei began to advance. "The Magus Killer and his associates like to use mundane weaponry," Kirei said. "Can you dodge gunfire?"

"I don't need to. My constitution is enough that they would probably need something capable of piercing armour plating to do more than leave a bruise," Loki said. "What about you?"

"I have brought knives to gunfights before," Kirei said, readying a bunch of bayonets in his hands. "I think you can guess who prevailed," he added dryly.

"Well then…let's get you the answers we seek. Just remember, diplomacy first. So sit back, and admire my diplomatic skills(1)…"

* * *

 _Perfect_ , Medea thought, as she watched Arturia and Diarmuid clash in the distance. She had just sown a number of dragon teeth into the ground, having prepared the teeth themselves earlier in the day. Soon, the Dragon Tooth Warriors, a small army of animated skeletons, would advance on the two Servants. Of course, the Dragon Tooth Warriors had no chance against even a single Servant. Indeed, even a skilled-enough Magus would find them little more than a nuisance.

But that wasn't the point. While they would probably work together to fight off the Dragon Tooth Warriors, they were merely the first part of her strategy. One thing humans, and even Servants, had a tendency to do, was to restrict their perceptions to the horizontal plane. They tended not to look for attacks from above unless they were expecting them. And the Dragon Tooth Warriors would act as a most excellent distraction before she unleashed her Rain of Light, while flying above them.

The bolts that comprised the Rain of Light were so powerful, they would annihilate a Servant instantly if they actually hit them. What Medea intended to do was attempt to hit Diarmuid directly, while only knock Arturia about indirectly, weakening her enough so that she could use Rule Breaker. Of course, using _Atlas_ on her to ensure Arturia couldn't get up anyway. One Servant would be taken out of the running, and the other would be her own to command. Well, that was the best case scenario.

Of course, there were so many ways this strategy could go wrong. Which was why she was waiting for just the right moment…

* * *

Loki sent an illusion spell in advance to try and intercept the two women. It had almost immediately had been shot at by the woman who had to be Maiya. He could see through its eyes, and speak through it, so he remarked dryly, "And here I was thinking that we could have a little talk. I am not here to harm either of you."

"What about Kotomine?" Irisviel demanded.

"He merely wishes for an answer to a question that is plaguing him, regarding your husband," Loki said through his doppelganger. "Once we have that answer, we will leave with neither of you harmed."

"I find that hard to believe," Maiya said.

"Believe what you will. To use a human cliché, ready or not, here we come," Loki said, before dispelling the illusion spell. He and Kirei were approaching the two women. They both remained on-guard, understandably.

"What do you want, Kirei Kotomine?" Irisviel demanded.

"…What drives your husband?" Kirei asked. "I thought I saw the same emptiness inside him as exists within me. But what I have gathered, as well as what Loki has told me, has suggested otherwise. Why does he want the Grail?"

"Why do you want the Grail?" Irisviel countered.

Kirei merely held up his Command Seals. "I have no desire for the Grail. But it chose me anyway. I fight in this Grail War for answers, for a purpose for my existence. You, of all people, should understand what it is that drives your husband to do what he does, to be the ruthless man known and feared as the Magus Killer. So tell me, help me understand him, and thus myself! What drives him, woman?!"

Irisviel looked at Maiya, before turning back to Kirei. "I'm not sure you will understand him. But…Kiritsugu is a man who desires peace above all other matters. You may not believe this, but his actions have been to kill the few to save the many. He forsakes his own happiness in order to help keep the world safe. But he desires peace for the world most of all, and he believes that the Grail is what can grant him this. He wants a world where nobody has to cry or hate or fear," she confessed. "And I share that dream. I refuse to allow either of you to take it from him."

Kirei stared at Irisviel uncomprehendingly. Anger and disgust marred his expression, before he said, "I see. It seems that I have even more reason than ever to detest his existence. He could have been normal, _happy_ , but he twisted himself into something less than a man. He is no reflection of me, save for an inverted one. Instead of being born empty, he tries to hollow himself out." A bitter chuckle wormed from his lips. " _Pathetic_ ," Kirei spat.

Loki held up a hand. "Now, now, Kirei, no need to be rude. We are talking to his wife and his assistant. And there is no denying that the Magus Killer is skilled at what he does, just as we are good at what we do."

"You'll never win," Irisviel said quietly, and calmly. "One thing that my husband has that neither of you have is conviction. The faith in himself and his ideals, driving him forward."

"That can indeed be powerful, driving men to greater heights than they were at before…or sending them to Hell with haste…"

* * *

Medea had set the Dragon Tooth Warriors on the two Servants. True to expectations, Diarmuid and Arturia were handling them well, but their attention was now wholly on the skeletal fighters. Medea took to the skies, her cloak splayed out like the vast wings of an oversized bird or bat, or perhaps a butterfly. She needed to make sure that they were wholly unaware of her presence before she struck.

A shame Diarmuid had to die. He was such a beautiful man. But she doubted he would enjoy her advances. And that magic-negating spear of his was troublesome. And looks alone did not a good man make. Look at Jason, for example. Medea was very much the brains of that outfit, helping him get the Golden Fleece, and look what happened there.

She hovered over them, ready to unleash bolts of magic death from the skies. She began charging her Rain of Light: _Machia Hecatia Graea_ , chanting softly under her breath, pausing at the right moment to activate _Atlas_ at as full a strength as she could while charging Rain of Light. The two Servants below had just finished the Dragon Tooth Warriors off, just in time for Atlas to pin them to the ground. Using _Atlas_ on two Servants in conjunction with the Rain of Light was risky, especially with their resistance to magic, but by the looks of it, it had worked. The element of surprise and distraction.

They both looked up as glowing patterns glowed on her splayed cloak, making her look even more like a massive butterfly than ever. They knew their death was upon them. Well, one of them, anyway, though they didn't know that.

She couldn't resist a smirk that she was sure both could see beneath her hood. Then, with a shouted command, she unleashed the Rain of Light upon the hapless Servants below…

* * *

Within the Einzbern Castle, as he played his game of cat and mouse with Kayneth, having already shot him once with the Thompson Contender (thus setting him up for receiving an Origin Bullet), Kiritsugu felt the massive tremor that rocked the building. He stared briefly out of a window, to witness the aftermath of a massive magical explosion. He had ordered Saber to fight Lancer, and once he was defeated, go on to protect his wife and Maiya. But now, it seemed that someone had crashed the party.

Suddenly, he heard Kayneth's frustrated howl. "MY COMMAND SEALS! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THEM?!"

Kiritsugu blinked. Did that mean Lancer had died? He hoped so. A quick check of his Command Seals showed that Saber was still alive. But for how long?

* * *

Irisviel suddenly cried out in pain as the rumbling of the explosion caused by Medea died down. Loki and Kirei were startled, while Maiya hastened to the Homunculus' side. "What happened?" Kirei demanded.

Irisviel shook her head. "I'm okay, it's just…" She winced.

" _Loki, I have killed Diarmuid_ ," Medea said to him over their mental link. " _I am about to use Rule Breaker on Arturia._ "

Loki frowned to himself. " _Medea, Irisviel cried out in pain when you killed Diarmuid. Would you have any idea why?_ "

"… _No. We'll worry about that when we get back_ ," Medea said.

* * *

Arturia, known to history's page as King Arthur, was in pain. More than mere physical pain. That she could endure. No, it was the mental suffering that was truly hurting her. During her fight with Diarmuid, who had admitted he was sent to distract her while his Master assaulted her own, skeletal warriors had intervened, forcing the two warriors to team up and fight them off. Arturia had known that this was some sort of trap, some sort of set-up, but she couldn't figure out what it was, not until the last of those warriors had been dispatched, and they felt that pressure holding them down. They had both looked up to see what could only be Caster, hovering overhead like some colourful predatory bird, about to unleash a massive spell on them.

Diarmuid was dead. He had been hit by a bolt of violet light directly, and had barely enough time to roar in pain and frustration before he was blasted into oblivion, whatever fragments of his body surviving dissolving into mana. An ignoble and violent end to such a chivalric warrior. But Arturia wasn't so lucky, if a swift end could be considered so. Instead, she had been tossed hither and thither by the blasts, until she had come to a rest, the pressure still holding her down.

And Caster, damn her, was walking over calmly, before kneeling down next to her. "Forgive me for interrupting your little battle, Arturia," Caster said insincerely.

"You seek forgiveness, for such a vile and dishonourable act?" Arturia demanded.

"Not really. It wasn't anything personal, but Diarmuid needed to be gotten out of the way," Caster said, before fishing around in her robes. "It is you we were after, Arturia. King Arthur, the strongest known Saber." She then plucked out a strange, zig-zagging dagger. "Your time with Kiritsugu Emiya as your Master is now over." She then slammed the dagger into Arturia's chest. "Now you are our Servant, Arturia!"

* * *

Kayneth was now almost dead, face down in the puddle of mercury that used to be his Volumen Hydragyrum. The Origin Bullet had interacted with his magecraft, burning out his Magic Circuits in the magecraft equivalent of a massive short-circuit. Kiritsugu was approaching him to administer the _coup de grace_ , when he suddenly felt a burning on his hand, the one with the Command Seals. He looked at it, and stared as the Command Seals faded away, not into nothing, but becoming murky smears.

Had Saber died? Or had something else happened? He'd need to ask Iri, find out whether two Servants had died. But even if Saber was lost to him, it didn't mean he had given up on the Grail War. If Saber had somehow been taken from him, then there was a way to take her back. And Iri was still the Lesser Grail. Retreat was not an option. Neither was asking for sanctuary at the church of the Overseer, not with the Kotomines and Tokiomi Tohsaka collaborating.

Even so, instead of shooting Kayneth in the head to finish him off, Kiritsugu, angered by tonight's events, and those of the last night, turned him over, and then stomped on the man's throat, as hard as he could. Kayneth's windpipe was crushed, and he convulsed as he choked to death. He just had to hope that Iri and Maiya were safe…

* * *

Medea appeared in her habitual swirl of robes. "It is done," she said quietly.

"Good. Let's take Kirei home. Good night, sweet ladies," Loki said with a bow, before he and Kirei went over to Medea, and were transported back to the church…

* * *

As they reappeared in front of the church, Kirei said, "Well, that was enlightening. But what did you do?"

"Caster has dealt with both Lancer and Saber," Loki said bluntly. "The Magus Killer is now without a Servant."

Kirei glanced at them both, his eyes narrowing. He had noticed the ambiguous wording. "Are they both dead?"

"They are no threat to you," Loki said.

"That does not answer my question."

"I believe it did. To my satisfaction if not yours. Just know that Lancer and Saber are no longer a danger to your personal quest, Kirei Kotomine." His eyes narrowed. "But you will tell Tokiomi Tohsaka this from me. I know what has happened to his daughter, the one he discarded to the Matous. Tell him that Zouken Matou infested her with Crest Worms. And if I ever find out that he knew a single iota of what he was putting his daughter into, I will put him through a prolonged period of torment and misery the likes of which will be spoken of in whispers for centuries to come. I don't care why. Tell him from me, that if I learn he is complicit in the violation of his own flesh and blood, then his days are numbered. I know that number _, and have started to count(2)_."

Kirei was surprised by the venom with which Loki spoke of such things, that much was clear from his face. Loki left him like that when he departed with Medea, back for Ryuudou Temple…

* * *

 _She was in the car, heading back to the Einzbern Castle, with Iri behind the driver's seat. Some part of her realised she was dreaming, and that this was merely her nightmare twisting the memory out of proportion._

 _Even so, Irisviel seemed to be enjoying herself far more than was decent. "My whole body is tingling," she cheered as she drove the car at breakneck (well, more like breakbody) speed along the mountain road. "I feel amazing!"_

 _"I am a brave and gallant knight…" Arturia said to herself in a quiet, reassuring tone, a mantra to stave off fear, unsuccessfully._

 _"FASTER! HARDER! LAAAANCERRRR!" That last word came out in a strange orgasmic growl, Irisviel's red eyes rolling up in their sockets, before she yelped, "Saber! I can't see!"_

 _"You are NOT allowed to say that!" snapped Arturia in a panic._

 _"I can't un-orgasm myself!" Irisviel protested. "Which way do I turn?"_

 _Arturia saw a figure on the road ahead, and yelled, "NEVER MIND TURN, BRAKE NOW!" She jammed her own foot on the brake, causing the car to skid to a halt with a screech, the figure silhouetted by the headlights(3)._

 _There was the familiar lean and lanky figure of Loki, standing in the middle of the road, his hands behind his back. He looked at them, and smiled. "I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose…TO SELL T-SHIRTS!" He brought his hands from behind his back to reveal a number of T-shirts, with strange and incomprehensible slogans(4)._

 _Arturia blinked. " **What.** "_

 _A robed figure of a woman leaned in to Irisviel's window. Was that Caster? "Excuse me miss, but do you have a licence to drive this motor vehicle?"_

 _"Umm…" Irisviel then waved her hand. "We are not the Magi you are looking for, move along?" she asked tentatively._

 _"Attempting to hypnotise an appointed officer of the peace?" Caster asked, before suddenly, she snatched a screaming Irisviel out of the car. Arturia tried to follow, but the seatbelt wouldn't let her. And then, she felt her face being grasped, surprisingly gently, and she was soon looking at Loki, who began patting her face._

 _"It's time to wake up, Arturia. Wake up…"_

* * *

"Wake up."

Arturia's eyes fluttered open with a groan of pain worming from her lips. Her green eyes soon met the similarly green eyes of Loki, and the blue eyes of Caster (Arturia noting that this was the first time she had actually seen Caster's face, with the lavender hair and pointed ears). Arturia soon realised she was chained up. Her mana was being drained, too. She felt weak. "Where am I?" Arturia demanded, her voice a weak croak.

"In my Workshop," Caster said, her voice having a surprising lack of cruelty in it. If anything, there was an edge of sympathy, even sadness. "I doubt you will be forgiving us any time soon for what has happened to you, but know this. Your Master is no longer Kiritsugu Emiya." She then held up her hand, revealing the Command Seals on the back of it, and it was that that plunged Arturia into sheer despair. "As of tonight, Arturia, King of Knights, _I am your Master_."

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So…shit just got real, though I doubt Arturia will take it lying down. Kiritsugu isn't going to take it lying down, either. I've just got to figure out what he does. Most of the next chapter, however, will be Loki and Medea persuading Arturia to help them rescue Sakura.**

 **Review-answering time! meow114: Loki's not acquiring a harem. Though I am considering having Arturia head back to the MCU with Loki and Medea…**

 **plums : You'll get that definitely in the next chapter. I've written most of it from Medea's POV.**

 **Anthem of the Night : Considering their relationship, is that any surprise? Hell, this might get the two of them to reconnect…**

 **Mutipule-Characters1-Account : 'Sans' means 'without'. Putting 'sans' together with 'skullmask' was unintentional, so it wasn't a reference to _Undertale_ , as much as I enjoy that game. Sans from _Undertale_ is meant to be a reference to a typeface or font (meaning a sans-serif typeface), just as his brother, Papyrus, is a reference to a typeface.**

 **EDITED: In response to a review from mikaerusan, I have edited this chapter slightly to make the Command Seals fade rather than disappear.**

 **1\. Another _Doctor Who_ reference, this time to one of the Second Doctor's lines to Jamie in _The Two Doctors_. Unfortunately, when the Doctor gets into an argument with the man he's supposedly using said skills on, and then angrily asks Jamie what he's looking at, Jamie sarcastically replies, "Just admiring your diplomatic skills."**

 **2\. A similar threat is used against James Bond in the novel _Live and Let Die_.**

 **3\. This scene is pretty much taken wholesale from the beginning of _Fate/Cero_ episode 3, an Abridged Series of _Fate/Zero_. I referenced it both in _Perils of Magical Investigative Journalism_ , and in _Ex Umbra in Solem_. I thought this scene suitable for a dream sequence.**

 **4\. I remember watching a few years ago a video with Curtis 'Takahata101' Arnott in cosplay as Loki doing this very thing. I cannot find it on YouTube for the life of me now, though…**


	12. Chapter 11: To Play the King

**CHAPTER 11:**

 **TO PLAY THE KING(** **1)**

Medea peered at her new Servant. Loki had decided to rest after the night's events, but had asked her to try and persuade Arturia to join their cause. Not that Arturia really had much choice, but rhetoric would probably work better than Command Seals. After all, she only had three, and they weren't to be squandered on a whim.

Her new Servant. There was something strangely empowering about that. For a brief moment, Medea idly considered finding some way to free herself from Loki's servitude without risking her dissolution. But she dismissed it almost as swiftly. For all Loki's faults, he had a lot going for him. Handsome in his own way, intelligent, and what was more, his antics were entertaining. And surprisingly, given what she had learned about him, he showed some compassion for her. She didn't know whether it was false or not: he was, after all, one of the most infamous liars in myth around the world.

She had feelings for him, she was now just beginning to realise, and that disturbed her. Not the sudden infatuation like she had towards Jason that the damned Olympians infected her with as part of their little game with mortal lives. No, this was far more insidious. It couldn't be called love, not yet, but it was the seeds of that emotion, she knew it.

That was why she was glad she had Arturia as her Servant. Because if Loki took advantage of those feelings, she would use Rule Breaker on herself, and then use the King of Knights to help her end the Liesmith's existence. She would then have to find an alternate source of mana, but she would burn that bridge if and when she came to it.

Arturia glared back at Medea. Medea had removed the chains, but had used a form of _Atlas_ , one that could be sustained for longer periods, to keep her from attacking. But she hadn't spoken to Medea since the Caster Servant revealed what had happened, instead sitting sullenly on a chair in the Workshop as if it was her throne at Camelot. Oh, she had wept quietly for Diarmuid, but that was it.

Medea frowned when she thought of the Lancer Servant. She remembered that Loki had said that Irisviel had cried out in pain when Lancer died. But Diarmuid wasn't contracted to Irisviel, obviously, not unless Kiritsugu and Kayneth were collaborating in some overly complicated ploy, which was ridiculous. And yet, Loki had noticed it. Either Irisviel was sensitive to a massive surge in magic, or…

Medea blinked. _Son of a bitch_ , she thought to herself. Loki had left the book Zelretch had given him in the Workshop, and she hurried over to it and began flipping through it to the information on the von Einzberns…and the Lesser Grail.

In previous Grail Wars, the Lesser Grail was an actual physical container provided by the von Einzberns. Its purpose was to contain the essence of the Servants as they were slain. Six Servants were needed to prime it into becoming the Holy Grail itself. But in the previous Grail War, the Grail was attacked and destroyed.

And yet…Irisviel was a Homunculus of some kind created by the von Einzberns. She had felt pain when Diarmuid was destroyed, according to Loki. Either she was very sensitive to magic from the blast, or…

 _She was the Lesser Grail_.

Now, Medea didn't know this for sure. This was more of a hunch, based on two pieces of evidence: Irisviel being a creation of the same family who always provided the Lesser Grail, and her reaction to Diarmuid's death. It could be a coincidence, a possible case of _Post hoc ergo propter hoc_ logical fallacy. Diarmuid's death and Irisviel crying out in pain may not have been linked.

But if they were, they had just missed a golden opportunity to take not just a Servant, but the Lesser Grail.

Medea then had to suppress a smirk, as Arturia was still looking on. Even if it wasn't true, it sounded plausible. Plausible enough to be useful when persuading Arturia.

"Tell me something, Arturia, how did you feel about your former Master?" Medea asked.

"Why ask me such a question?" Arturia replied.

"Indulge my curiosity. I thought that the King of Knights and one of this age's most brutal assassins would be…incompatible, to say the least. I witnessed many of your conversations with Irisviel. You didn't seem to like him."

"Then your question is answered," Arturia said coldly.

Medea's lips pursed in annoyance. "I would rather hear it from your lips."

After a moment, Arturia admitted, "I share his dream. A dream of a peaceful world, free of war. That is what Irisviel told me."

"Ah, yes, Irisviel. His wife. And, if I am correct, as much a tool of Kiritsugu Emiya as you are."

Her words had Arturia freezing in shock. "What folly is this of which you speak?"

"It is no folly, but rather, speculation. Do you know how the Holy Grail is manifested? Where the energy from the Servants is stored? I know. The von Einzberns provide a vessel designed to store it, a Lesser Grail that, when enough Servants are slain…becomes the Holy Grail. In previous Grail Wars, it was a physical cup, an enchanted one, but in the previous Grail War, it was damaged. I believe the von Einzberns decided that a redesign was in order, to make the Lesser Grail mobile, intelligent, theoretically capable of defending itself…"

Arturia may have been a physical powerhouse, but she was no idiot. The horror that crept over her features betrayed that. "No, that cannot be. You are attempting to mislead me."

"I cannot mislead with speculation. Even I do not know whether this is true. But if it is true, Irisviel will become the Grail, dying in the process. Kiritsugu Emiya would sacrifice his own wife for peace. Loki told me that in the instant I killed Diarmuid, Irisviel cried out in pain for no apparent reason." Medea walked over to Arturia, pulled up another nearby chair, and sat across from her. "You and I are both royalty, Arturia. We understand the responsibilities that come with such a station. I, to my shame, abdicated those responsibilities for a man who was not worth it, thanks in no small part to the meddling of the gods. You, on the other hand, took those responsibilities to an extreme. You suffered civil war because your subjects could not comprehend how inhuman you were as a king, holding yourself to the highest standard you could. I was too human, and you were not human enough. By our detractors, we are considered inhuman. Kiritsugu Emiya, however, sees himself not as human or as king, but as a god. You have killed, but at least you did so in defence of your kingdom and people, as was your right by your station. For what reason does he kill? Peace? A corpse is remarkably peaceful, and he is no king defending a kingdom. His family? If I am correct, he is more than willing to sacrifice his wife for the Grail. No, you and I may have stained our hands with blood, but he has stained his soul. He cares nothing for your honour. To him, you are not a king or even a person. You are merely a tool, one that, once he has no use for you, he will gladly discard."

"…Nevertheless," Arturia said. "Nevertheless, I care about my honour."

 _Time to change tack, then_ , Medea thought. "Well, how about you agree to help us on a little errand? As a knight, you are sure to care about damsels in distress, am I correct?"

"Give me one good reason why I should even listen? Aside from the Command Seals you keep in reserve like a spur for a recalcitrant steed."

"I'd prefer to keep them in reserve, Arturia. And the one good reason can be summed up in two words. Crest Worms."

Arturia looked up sharply. After a moment, she said, "I am listening."

"One of Loki's allies is the Master of Berserker, a man by the name of Kariya Matou. He joined the Holy Grail War upon learning that the Master of Archer, Tokiomi Tohsaka, had adopted out his child, Sakura, to the Matous. They are a dying line of Magi, you see, and they needed fresh blood. The patriarch of the Matous, Zouken, took a child not even six and infested her with Crest Worms. You and I know what they do to women, to girls. Kariya had disowned himself from the family some time beforehand, but upon learning of Sakura being left with the Matous, he bargained with Zouken, becoming a Master in exchange for her freedom. But Kariya is dying due to the Crest Worms he had put in him during the past year. We agreed to help him free Sakura."

Arturia peered at Medea, her emerald eyes narrowed. "Why would you?"

"Loki found parallels between his life and Sakura's, and realised that Sakura had suffered a worse fate than he did. We intend to rescue her. Naturally, it's almost wholly unrelated to the Grail War and against the rules, I am sure. However, the more help we have, the better, and it was one of the reasons I used Rule Breaker on you. Aside from having a powerful Servant at our beck and call, but that is so obvious, even a Berserker Servant can grasp that. Arturia…no, King Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King of Britain, we beseech you for your assistance."

Arturia was quiet for a time. After a moment, she said, "Caster…what wish does Loki have for the Grail?"

"I have none." Loki's voice was unexpected, and Medea whirled to find him entering. "Or rather, I have a number of desires, but I am wary of using something like the Holy Grail to fulfil them. I am far from a fool. Even miracles come with price tags. Sometimes, the cost is not from one's purse, but rather, one's heart and soul. I would rather stick to the desires I know that I can achieve myself, Arturia. I have functioning limbs, a sharp mind, and a silver tongue. For a mere human, that is more than enough. So, if I may be so bold to ask, what is your desire that you want the Grail for?"

Again, Arturia was quiet, debating with herself whether to divulge it, before she seemed to settle on something. "You are aware of how my life ended, with my kingdom falling to chaos and civil war. I wish to be able to go back to the beginning, when I drew the Sword from the Stone, and do things again, with knowledge of how it turned out, and thus save my kingdom."

Loki, after a moment, chuckled softly. When Arturia glared at him, he said, "Oh, you poor, foolish woman. Asgard has stood longer than your Camelot, and even I know that kingdoms and empires are ephemeral things. Oh, it should have lasted longer than your reign. Why do you do want this? Is it pride, because you couldn't stand your mistakes? Or is it the ghosts of the knights who died or became disaffected with your rule?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"I mock everyone. I'd ask that you not take it personally, but I doubt you'd heed me," Loki said. "Don't get me wrong, your wish is actually quite sane, given the circumstances. If it had been something like, say, wanting someone else to be king in your stead, then I would consider you to be not just a fool, but an irredeemable one, for there would be no guarantee that your replacement would be anywhere near as good as you. Arturia, you have stood as an example, as a hero, to people throughout the ages. What if, by making your wish, you inadvertently end up destroying the beauty of your myth? What if those inspired by your myth to do better never are, or are inspired to do worse? The results of meddling with time are incalculable, and I am sure that if Merlin was here, he would share that opinion with me at least, if nothing else."

"Then tell me, Loki of Asgard, how would you rule?"

Medea noted that the question seemed to strike a chord with Loki, causing him to be somewhat taken aback. He seemed to consider his answer very carefully. "I am a better administrator than monarch," he admitted. "I ruled Asgard briefly, and that period was filled with treason, some admittedly of my own making, some of it from others. I personally believe I would make a better ruler than Thor, but to be a king is such an onerous career. A throne and a crown are merely a set of shackles in the shape of an ornate chair and a shiny band of metal and jewels. And the Asgardians would never accept a Frost Giant as a king, in any case, any more than they would have accepted a woman in your time and place. And our ideas of what a king or queen should be like would doubtless be as different as, say, that oaf Iskandar's, or that Archer. In truth, I don't know how a ruler should rule. I thought I did. Perhaps there is no right answer, Arturia Pendragon. After all, your style of rule still caused discontent and civil war in the end, and from within as well as without. And who knows what Mordred would have made of Camelot. A mess would be my guess."

"Do you not desire a second chance yourself?" Arturia demanded.

After a moment, Loki admitted, "Yes. I would like to do things over, to wipe the slate clean, live my life again with prior knowledge of my heritage. But in the process, would I do something wrong? What if what I am doing is the wrong thing? I am the greatest mind in Asgard, no matter what my so-called father thinks, and yet even I would not know whether I was changing my life for better or for worse. So the question I have to ask you, Arturia Pendragon…can you be sure you can change your life, and those of your knights, for the better?"

"You make me doubt my purpose," Arturia scowled.

"It is those who act with utter certainty and conviction that I detest," Loki said. "Those who wholeheartedly believe they are in the right. Doubt once made me act with certainty and conviction…and in doing so, I lost the nearest thing I had to family. How many of your friends and comrades did you lose through your own conviction? How much of yourself did you lose?"

The question seemed to strike harder than Medea thought it would, and judging by Loki's blink of surprise, he didn't think it would affect Arturia as much as it did. Arturia looked profoundly shocked, in a way few would be able to look. After a moment, Loki said, "I cannot promise you answers or conviction, Arturia Pendragon. I cannot promise you that you and I have compatible goals and ideals. But at the very least, help Caster and I right at least one wrong."

Arturia closed her eyes, and said, quietly, "I must be taking leave of my senses to even consider this, even with the power you have over me and your rhetoric. But if there is any truth to what you say, and there is an innocent suffering, then I will help."

After a moment, Medea gently removed _Atlas_ , and Arturia, realising she no longer felt the pressure on her, rose to her feet. Despite her captivity, she still had the dignity, grace and gravitas of a monarch. "I presume you have a plan, then?" Arturia asked Loki.

"There is a human saying, that no plan survives contact with the enemy, and I enjoy a certain degree of improvisation. Medea, will you be able to penetrate any Bounded Fields around the Matou residence?"

"Given time, yes," Medea said.

Loki nodded. "Now, under most circumstances, I would consider going in and using my silver tongue to get her out of there. However, Zouken Matou has offended me greatly for what he's done to Sakura." He clenched his fist, with cold mist coalescing around it. "Winter is coming for Zouken Matou, a winter he will wish to have the luxury to die in…"

 **CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Arturia has agreed, albeit reluctantly, to help Loki and Medea, and Loki is looking to give Zouken Matou the worst case of frostbite ever. Good times.**

 **Incidentally, I have a number of new** ** _Fate/Zero_** **fanfics. I've done yet another Harry Potter one in** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **, which has a post-Hogwarts Harry/Medusa pairing, and with him adopting Sakura. I've also posted the first marked crossover with** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **,** ** _Kuja von Einzbern_** **, based to a degree on Gabriel Herrol's** ** _Everything For My Family_** **challenge, except with Kuja substituted for Harry. It also has Medea as Kiritsugu Emiya's Servant, for Medea fans.**

 **I'm also strongly considering my first pure** ** _Fate/Zero_** **fic, based on** ** _Res Nullius_** **, an abortive Harry Potter/** ** _Fate/Zero_** **fic that paired Harry with a grown-up Illya (who had travelled back in time). The pure** ** _Fate/Zero_** **fic won't be published for a while, but for a general idea of what it's like, look for** ** _Res Nullius_** **in** ** _The Cauldron_** **.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Thunder Dragon** **: Look, I couldn't resist a** ** _Fate/Cero_** **reference, okay? Just view it as Arturia's mind being thrown askew slightly by being stabbed by Rule Breaker, as well as a touch of concussion from the Rain of Light attack. What humour I put in is up to me.**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: Serpents are considered to be smooth liars in myth in general, so many would call him a serpent. And it is a separate serpent who drips poison into Loki's eyes when he is imprisoned…in Norse myth, anyway. And as for the line…well, you should hear the lines Irisviel utters while in Lancer's presence in** ** _Fate/Cero_** **, the most innocuous of which is "LET ME STRADDLE YOUR MOLE, THE MOLE SPECIFICALLY!"**

 **PikaMew1288** **: I intend for Arturia to head back to the MCU with Loki in tow. As for the line, well, keep in mind that Arturia is very much a woman of honour and chivalry, so being captured and forced to serve another Master is traumatic. True, she doesn't get along with Kiritsugu, but she gets along with Irisviel, and she takes protecting Irisviel seriously.**

 **Mangahero18** **: The title of the next chapter will tickle your fancy, then.**

 **1\. I made this chapter title as a deliberate reference to the second book in the** ** _House of Cards_** **series. I mentioned Francis Urquhart in a previous chapter…**


	13. Chapter 12: Megalovania

**CHAPTER 12:**

 **MEGALOVANIA**

Thor was peering at the orb Zelretch had left them. While it pained him to see Arturia (who knew that King Arthur, in that universe at least, was a fine young woman?) in captivity like that, he found his brother's treatment of her…strange. Both cruel and kind. But he couldn't deny that saving this girl was a noble cause, one Thor would gladly get behind. Sadly, to help his brother meant dealing with Zelretch, and Odin had expressly forbidden it. Odin had decided that this was Loki's test, as much as Thor's own exile was his test.

The orb had been moved to Thor's armoury, and Lady Sif and the Warriors Three had joined Thor, along with Frigga, in watching the show. "I never thought that Loki had a scrap of altruism left in him," Sif remarked.

"He has more than you know," Frigga said.

"Are you defending him, Lady Frigga? Even after everything he did to Thor, to us, to Asgard and his own people?" Sif all but demanded.

"He is my son, even if not by blood. I will wait until I witness the outcome of this before I forgive him, but I cannot forget or forsake my love for him, and neither can Thor," Frigga responded. "Though I wonder how deep your own friendship was with him. How often did Loki fish you out of trouble that the five of you got into? I watched how you interacted, and in retrospect, I think you only included him for Thor's sake, not because you were friends."

"And we were right not to trust him!" Volstagg snapped. "He turned out to be a Frost Giant and a villain!"

"And he felt as if he had nobody to turn to," Frigga said coldly. "Thor was exiled, Odin had gone into Odinsleep, and he didn't know whether he could trust me. I know he certainly couldn't trust you."

"Enough," Thor said quietly. "If he has agreed to save this girl…it may not make up for his crimes…but it shows that he is changing, and for the better. You saw how he admitted his faults to Arturia."

"While insulting you," Fandrall pointed out.

"Aye, but I intend to rectify those faults, and I believe he was wrong. He insulted me all the time before, anyway. And he has accepted he won't be king. His words, of a throne and crown being shackles, shows wisdom, even if it is somewhat…" Thor pursed his lips, thinking of the word.

"Cynical," Frigga supplied. "But he is right. Few who aspire to the throne realise that it can be a burden as well as a boon." She looked at Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. "When he comes back to us, I won't expect you to show forgiveness. But I want you to give him a chance to earn that forgiveness through deeds rather than words, and to overlook his nature as a Frost Giant. If he stays by our side, one such as he will be a boon to Thor. Someone who can disregard honour to keep Asgard, and the Nine Realms, safe. Or would you rather he had fallen into the hands of Thanos rather than Zelretch?"

Sif shuddered. "Do not compare those two. I remember the time when Zelretch tricked me into trying one of those…Kaleidosticks. It took me too long to find a way to discard that monstrosity. At least with Thanos, you know he wants you dead, or tortured. Zelretch, though…still, I suppose 'tis better Loki falls into the hands of one who does not wish for the deaths of countless people. I merely fear how much worse he could be."

"He couldn't possibly be any worse than he was," Volstagg said, only to be slapped on the back of the head by Hogunn.

Matching Volstagg's glare, Hogunn said, " _Never_ say anything or anyone could not possibly be worse than it is. You tempt the universe and its forces to prove you otherwise."

"Still, the woman he is with, the one who is that universe's version of Medea of Colchis," Fandrall mused. "Rather a comely lass. On looks if nothing else, Loki has good taste. Do you think he'll bring her back?"

"Perhaps, but try to keep your hands to yourself should he do so, Fandrall," Thor said. "I am sure that one or both will take issue with your usual advances."

"No fear of that. I would be wary of anyone with the epithet of the Witch of Betrayal."

Sif suppressed a snort of disdain. "Your eye is caught by any comely maiden, and your hand wanders ever too close to their rears. Just remember that, lest Medea or Loki confiscate said hand. Of course, that is assuming they return."

"They will return," Frigga said, part of her hoping for Loki's redemption and return and acceptance back into Asgard, part of her hoping for the embrace of her son…and part of her hoping that Loki and Medea might be able to give her grandchildren…

* * *

As they made their way to the Matou residence, Medea looked at the pensive face of Arturia. The three of them were in more modern clothing, having changed after they teleported most of the way there. "A penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

After a moment, Arturia said, "I am merely regretting the fact that I never got the chance for a full, uninterrupted fight with Diarmuid. The first time, Iskandar interfered. The second time, you did. You killed him."

"He was a threat, Saber," Medea said. "And to be fair, I have an antipathy for handsome do-gooders. You know something of how my legend turned out, of how the so-called hero treated me."

"Diarmuid was nothing like your…husband," Arturia said. "I daresay that if Diarmuid fell in love with, he would never have left you for another."

"Even so, so-called heroes do whatever they wish, and to hell with the consequences," Medea said. "I murdered my brother for him, abandoned my home for him…and he abandoned me in my turn. Both he and the gods played a game with my life and love, making me into their little pawn. Diarmuid may have been better…but I couldn't take that risk, Saber. I only needed one Servant. I'm not sure whether I could sustain more than one."

"You're like Kiritsugu," Arturia said bitterly.

"And given your tone, that's hardly a compliment," Loki said. "I think you do him a grave disservice. For all the man's morals or lack thereof, he is a pragmatist, and I prefer pragmatists to those bound by shackles of honour. And he did evacuate the hotel where Kayneth resided before blowing it up. If he was truly heartless, he could have easily blown it up anyway."

Arturia didn't say anything, at least not until they approached the Matou Mansion. She scowled as they did so. "This foul feeling…my objections to this venture are falling away."

"I didn't have any," Medea said. "Now I merely want to end the Matous sooner."

"Ladies, who said anything about ending them?" Loki grinned viciously. "Zouken and Sakura are our targets. The rest of the family will go about their pathetic little existences, as a fitting punishment. We will rescue Sakura…and subject Zouken to a fate that will make him wish he could die. In short…he's going to have a bad time."

* * *

In a different reality, a squat skeleton wearing a blue hoodie sneezed, waking himself up. He looked around the snowbound landscape. "Huh. Guess I've been napping in the cold for too long…"

* * *

They approached the door, and Loki then rapped imperiously on the door. After a couple of minutes of waiting, a blue-haired man who looked like he hit the bottle often opened it. "Yes?" he asked irritably.

"Good morning," Loki said with a smile, producing some pamphlets he had conjured up. "I wondered if you could spare some time to discuss religion."

After a moment, the man said, with a scowl, "Piss off." And slammed the door.

Loki sighed. Medea, meanwhile, tittered. "A common response to those who hawk and peddle religion, I believe."

"Well…I believe the time is to put the fear of a god into him. Or the nearest thing on Asgard," Loki said, before he raised his foot, and kicked as hard as he could, sending the doors, and the man who answered them, flying. Loki strolled in as if he owned the place, arms behind his back.

The man who had answered the door scrambled out of the wreckage, and stared at Loki. "Who are you?!"

"I am Loki, of Asgard. And I am…"

"Burdened with glorious purpose," came a rather unwelcome voice. A raspy and decrepit and ancient one, with malevolence oozing from every syllable.

Though it was more unwelcome for the fact that the owner interrupted his greeting.

Loki turned to find what could only be Zouken Matou walking out from a nearby corridor. On initial impression, he was singularly unimpressive, a hunched-over wrinkled old man with no hair on his domed pate, and in Japanese robes. But his eyes had black sclera and white irises, and there was a sense of malice rolling off the man in waves.

"What business does a Master have in attacking my household and injuring my son Byakuya?" Zouken demanded. "I will complain to the Overseer about this."

"Oh? The fact that you put Crest Worms into a pre-pubescent girl would be acceptable to him?" Loki asked. Mentally, he told Medea, " _Take Arturia and rescue Sakura. I will deal with this worm._ "

"It is none of the Church's business what Magi family do in order to ensure the continuation of their bloodline," Zouken sneered. As the Servants moved away, Zouken summoned up a bunch of insects. "And where do you think you're going?"

Medea merely blasted the insects aside, and she and Arturia dashed further into the house. Meanwhile, Loki said, "You have truly and deeply offended me, Zouken Matou, and believe me, that is not easy to do."

Zouken Matou's sneer deepened. "And that means what, precisely? I am over five centuries old, and I have forgotten more about magecraft than you will ever learn!" With that, more insects flew at Loki.

Loki merely matched Zouken's sneer, and gathered his power, before unleashing it. Frozen insects dropped out of the air, and soon, Zouken Matou was encased in ice. "Five hundred years old?" Loki asked contemptuously. "I was around long before then. Advanced age, especially in a body as decrepit as yours, is nothing to boast about. Do you feel that cold, Zouken Matou? That is the magic of the Casket of Ancient Winters, capable of freezing all in its path. I'm sure you are struggling in there, but it took Heimdall a long time to free himself, and he is more powerful than you. He was more than human, and you are considerably less. The ice won't melt unless I will it to, and I don't particularly feel like doing that. And it won't kill you either, despite the fact you can't breathe. The Frost Giants were truly cruel, being able to manipulate the ice so that those affected were kept at the very edge of death. Incidentally, my Servants have gone to do some things. Caster is going to destroy your vaunted Crest Worms, as they disgust her as much as they do me, and Saber is going to find Sakura. Given that she was abandoned by one family, and another did disgusting things to her, I think she will do well with a new surname. Sakura Lokidottir has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"…What are you going to do to us?" Byakuya asked, a little shakily.

Loki pursed his lips. "Did you know anything about Crest Worms?"

"Yes, but I…"

"Is there anyone in this family not aware of them, or the fact that Zouken here infested a pre-pubescent girl with them?"

Byakuya, after a moment, said, "Most of them, including my son, Shinji. I only knew because that coward Kariya fled. He had magic, and I didn't."

"Well, if you want to leave, I suggest you do so. I am going to bury your pater familias in a tomb of ice that will make Jotunheim look welcoming by comparison. I am sorely tempted to punish you, for allowing that to happen. But as your patriarch seems to hold a power over you…I'll let your guilt punish you instead. Who knows? If you're lucky, you and your son will be long dead ere Zouken thaws."

With that, Loki broke the shard of ice containing Zouken from the floor, and began carrying him, whistling a tune merrily, leaving Byakuya to boggle at his strength. Loki may have been a scholar and mage before a warrior, but his physical strength was still beyond that of a human.

* * *

Loki joined Medea in what was once the worm pit. She had blasted it with her magic, leaving the Crest Worms to be scorched smears on the stone tiles. It was a marked improvement, given how dungeon-like the room was. "Good work, Caster," Loki said.

"I may not have gotten all of them. But I believe you are about to render that a moot point."

"Indeed. The power of the Casket of Ancient Winters is a cruel one. I'm about to put Zouken on ice for a very long time, and I mean more than I have already." Loki hopped down into the pit, placing Zouken down gently, before he called upon the power of the Casket once more, HIS power. As ice filled the pit, Loki remarked, as if commenting on the weather, "According to a rather amusing human called Dante Aligheri, the deepest circle of Hell, Cocytus, is a frozen pit. While it's reserved for traitors, I believe that Zouken more than deserves his own version of Cocytus." He was climbing the stairs out of the pit, as ice sealed Zouken in. "The ice is too hard for the likes of him to break free from. An Asgardian or a Vanir may manage it, but not a human, even if he is a Magus. And it will be decades, if not centuries, before it melts."

Medea scoffed. "I would consider it merciful normally…but it's painful, isn't it?"

"Very. It's the psychological pain, the impotency, that will hurt him most," Loki said. "I am sure that this is a punishment worthy of Tartarus, wouldn't you agree?"

"Of course."

Arturia chose that time to come in, leading what had to be Sakura. Loki looked at the girl with the violet hair and eyes, eyes that seemed so dead for one so young. His eyes were never that dead, not until he learned the truth about his upbringing, and even then, the light only died a little. Loki stifled his anger with an effort. It was Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka who deserved his ire, he didn't need to frighten this child with it.

Instead, he said quietly, kneeling down until he was eye to eye with her, "Sakura…your Uncle Kariya sent us. He told us of what Zouken did to you. Do you want to go away from here?"

Sakura stared at him, seemingly in complete incomprehension. Loki had to wonder whether she even understood what he said. But then, she nodded, slowly at first, and then with slightly increased vigour. "Yes, please." Her voice was a soft, gentle, broken thing, like Sakura herself. Loki then and there vowed to make sure that her life would be a good one.

"Then let us away from this…abominable abode," Loki said, though not before he cast one last look into the pit, where Zouken glared up at him impotently. After a second's thought, he spat down into the pit, the spittle instantly freezing on impact. Then, he, along with his Servants and Sakura, left the room, forever…

* * *

Sif looked down at the crystal ball. "It seems that Loki actually does have a heart after all," she conceded, albeit grudgingly.

Frigga nodded. "I know him well enough to know that knowingly giving a broken child false hope is a line he would dare not cross. Woe betide anyone who tries to harm her." Frigga then got a pensive look on her face. "If Loki does come back with this Sakura in tow, I will have her looked at by Eir. Even if Loki or Medea manage to remove these Crest Worms from her, I would prefer her looked at. I should also warn Odin that Loki has acquired a potential adoptive daughter, one that he seems set on protecting with his very life."

"An event even the wise could not see," Thor mused. "However, I wonder, what of his enemies? He has many."

"They're nothing even to Loki," Volstagg declared, once more tempting the universe…

* * *

Kiritsugu Emiya was about to embark on what was probably the most dangerous gamble of his career. With Saber lost to him, the only reason he had left for staying in the Grail War was protecting Iri. But he couldn't do that without a Servant, as it would only take one targeting them. And he didn't dare seek sanctuary at the church where Risei Kotomine resided, not with Kirei there, and the Kotomines collaborating with Tokiomi Tohsaka.

He needed another Servant. Archer and Assassin were out, for obvious reasons. Lancer was dead, along with his Master. And Berserker's Master was still a wildcard, and had no known address.

But one Master, Maiya had managed to track down for him. He wasn't sure it was going to work, if only because of the nature of the Servant rather than the Master, but he had little choice. And he'd be damned if he went back to the von Einzberns with his tail between his legs.

He knocked on the door of the suburban house, belonging to the Mackenzies, an elderly Canadian couple. Supposedly, their grandson had returned from England, bringing in tow another man who arrived shortly thereafter.

To his surprise and shock, it was the Servant who answered the door, wearing a modern T-shirt (stretched nearly to bursting by the man's muscular bulk). Kiritsugu recognised it as being the logo of _Admirable Tactics_ , a video game series.

Kiritsugu steeled himself. He was in the presence of Iskandar, better known as Alexander the Great, and this Grail War's Rider. "Greetings!" Iskandar boomed. "What can I do for you?"

"Your Master and I need to talk," Kiritsugu said.

Iskandar pursed his lips in thought, before he said, quietly and seriously, "Then come in. But be warned: treachery when I have offered you the chance to parley will not end well…"

 **CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Loki's rescued Sakura, the peanut gallery is commenting, and Kiritsugu has a plan…and it involves Waver and Iskandar.**

 **Now, a few things before I go on. Firstly, the title. The only reason it's called** ** _Megalovania_** **was because I wanted to do another Sans reference, thanks to Mangahero18.** ** _Megalovania_** **is a pretty awesome piece of music in all of its iterations (I'll be honest: my personal favourite is the** ** _Homestuck_** **rendition). Yeah, pretty stupid reference, but hey. You got some lazy skeleton cameo during the chapter anyway.**

 **Secondly, Kiritsugu's plan. I actually couldn't think of how Kiritsugu was going to stay in the Holy Grail War until I came to write the end of the chapter. With Kayneth dead, he can't get Lancer, and the other Servants are off the table for various reasons. Rider/Iskandar and Waver are the only ones he can go to. I also intend for Kiritsugu not to be a dick towards Waver when negotiating for him to take control over Iskandar in Waver's stead, or at least not as much of a dick as he was towards Kayneth in trying to get him to throw the fight between Arturia and Diarmuid. Of course, I don't think Kiritsugu and Iskandar are going to be happy working with each other…**

 **Thirdly, I hope I got Sif and the Warriors Three down right. If not…deal with it.**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: Yes, I hope there will be a sequel set during the events of** ** _The Avengers_** **, with, at the very least, Loki, Medea, and Arturia joining them (with Sakura at least as Loki's new daughter).**

 **Hunter81095** **: That line you attributed to Tamamo, I had to laugh at that. Thanks for your kind words.**

 **Dalkon Cledwin** **: Yeah, I can see Tony Stark trying to run tests on Excalibur, as well as flirting with Arturia (and pissing her off something fierce). I think someone mentioned her getting along with Steve Rogers, though, and I find that both sweet and ironic (seriously, the embodiment of British chivalry in a relationship with the all-American soldier?)**

 **Kaioo** **: True, but Loki doesn't know about those. Kiritsugu is wary of using them anyway, because he is worried about fighting Loki, who is more than human (more so even than, say, Kirei), so he may not even risk an Origin Bullet, in case he misses.**

 **John Therion** **: Fair enough, but given that the film of** ** _Thor_** **depicts Odin winning over the Frost Giants around 965 AD, I'm keeping it as is for this story. View it as artistic licence. I mean, the Nasuverse plays merry havoc with the history of the world.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	14. Chapter 13: Promises

**CHAPTER 13:**

 **PROMISES**

Waver Velvet was trying very hard not to piss his pants. After all, he had one of the world's most infamous assassins and mercenaries sitting in his room. Even with Iskandar in the same room, Waver did not feel safe. Kiritsugu Emiya did seem singularly unimpressive in person, but that didn't mean anything. He was the Magus Killer after all.

"I'll get straight to the point," Kiritsugu said. "Last night, my Servant, Saber, was stolen from me. I believe it to be an ability of Caster, as Loki had encountered my wife and my assistant in the company of Kirei Kotomine. You may not know this, but Assassin is still alive, and the Kotomines are collaborating with Tokiomi Tohsaka."

"Perhaps, but it is rather careless of you to lose your Servant, and even more so to confront another one with little more than modern weaponry," Iskandar said. "Given that you are here, and negotiating, I presume you wish for my Master to forfeit control of me to you."

Kiritsugu nodded. "Let us face the facts, Waver. You are doing well for a Magus who is still a fresh student at Clock Tower. But we have, amongst the remaining enemy Masters, a number of dangerous people. Kirei Kotomine is a former Executor of the Church, a man who has been sent to deal with heretics and Magi, even Dead Apostles. Tokiomi Tohsaka is formidable with Jewelcraft and fire magic. Loki claims to be of a race mistaken for the Norse gods, and his abilities are certainly formidable, being able to catch a Servant by surprise. He is also excellent at using illusions to fool his foes. What's more, he is backed by Zelretch."

Waver paled at this. "Zelretch?"

"Indeed. And given Zelretch's mastery of Kaleidoscope, he may very well be from an alternate timeline. Loki hinted that his agenda was to cause chaos in the Holy Grail War rather than to claim the Grail."

"Given that, thanks to his actions, already one Servant is slain and yours has been stolen, I daresay he has succeeded," Iskandar remarked. "Leaving aside the collusion you claim between Tohsaka and the Kotomines, there must be a strong reason for you to remain in the Grail War, or else you would have left Fuyuki."

Waver pursed his lips. "Last I heard, you were working for the von Einzbern family," he mused. "They're not only one of the Founders of the Holy Grail War, but one of the most powerful and ruthless Magi lines in the world. If you went back empty-handed…"

"There is more at stake. Should I fail, they will stop me from seeing my daughter ever again," Kiritsugu said.

Waver blinked. "Daughter? You have a daughter? With that…albino woman? Irisviel, I think Saber called her?"

Kiritsugu nodded. "Both my wife and daughter are the loves of my life. I know you'd find it hard to believe, given my reputation, but…"

"Even a hardened assassin may find love," Iskandar said in a sage tone of voice. "Not all killers are without hearts or souls. And the bond between parent and child is one of the strongest known. I can still believe that. But you have only stated your case for desiring me to become your Servant. You have not offered any incentives, and if they are naught but threats of death, then yours will swiftly follow."

"I try not to make it a habit of killing students," Kiritsugu said. "However, I am sure the Archibald family would be angry at Waver stealing the relic Lord El-Melloi intended to use. I personally think that took some guts, Waver, but it was stupid too. I have some small influence with the Magus Association, though. I can get the Archibalds to back off from any attempts on your life. Kayneth is dead now, and I will declare it to be by my hand. Which is true enough. I killed your former teacher last night when he assaulted my base of operations. However, as his Lancer Servant fought Saber, they were ambushed, I believe by Caster. Lancer died, and Saber was somehow taken from me."

Iskandar rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. "Then perhaps I might know of whom Caster is. I know only of one Heroic Spirit offhand who may be able to sever the link betwixt Master and Servant, and take them for their own."

"Who is it?" Kiritsugu asked.

Iskandar held up a hand. "I will keep that information as a bargaining chip. I will be perfectly frank, Kiritsugu Emiya. Your goals and mine are in all likelihood incompatible. I desire the Grail to gain a second chance at life, to conquer the world once more. Is that compatible with your own wish?" Kiritsugu didn't answer, but Iskandar nodded. "As I thought. That being said, I am open to an alliance. Indeed, should you be successful in regaining your contract with Saber, I am more than willing to fight her on equal terms, and let the best Servant win the Grail, and with them, their Master."

"Rider…" Waver protested.

"Boy, this man has come here with frankly little incentive to give me up to him. I may be a Servant, but I am no slave to be traded around in a marketplace. An alliance is nothing to object to, as it is more than this man should expect, bargaining as he is from a position of relative weakness. To use a gaming term, you have a weak hand and you know it, Kiritsugu Emiya. While your stated reason for protecting my Master is more than I expected from you, I have been summoned by him, and I am loyal to him to the bitter end. In truth, I believe I am being overly generous in giving you a temporary alliance. Especially as it may have the possibility of you regaining Saber."

Kiritsugu scowled slightly, before he said, "And if I killed Waver, you would rather kill me than make a pact with me." He sighed. "Very well. We are, temporarily at least, in alliance. But tell me, why do you believe I have a chance of regaining Saber?"

"Because I believe Caster to be none other than Medea of Colchis," Iskandar said. "Medea, the Witch of Betrayal, has a fitting Noble Phantasm: the Rule Breaker. As a weapon, it is almost useless, being a rather weak dagger. Its strength lies in its ability to sever magical contracts. While this is speculation, it does fit. I know of no other Caster Servant, or any other Servant, with that ability offhand. Now, Loki has two Servants at his command rather than one. But it still means that, in theory, you can reclaim Saber. But it would be difficult. Caster will need to be slain first, and then, you re-establish your contract with Saber. Either that, or negotiate with Loki to return Saber to you."

Kiritsugu scowled at the thought, before he got a phone call. "Excuse me," he said, before plucking out a mobile phone and answering it. "Yes?" He frowned at whatever he was told. After a time, he asked, "Did she appear to be under duress?" After further words from his caller, he nodded. "Very well, Maiya. No, at the moment, he seems only interested in an alliance. Rider, I mean. I'm accepting, we need all the help we can get. Right. Goodbye." He hung up the mobile and sighed. "It seems that Loki has struck, but it doesn't make sense."

"Why?" Waver asked.

"I have familiars at the Matou and Tohsaka residences, performing surveillance. Loki, accompanied by Caster and Saber, just attacked the Matou Mansion. After several minutes, they emerged with a girl in tow. Given her age and general description, she may be Sakura Matou, formerly Sakura Tohsaka. Long story short, I learned while researching the Tohsakas and Matous that Tokiomi recently adopted out his youngest daughter to the Matous to help bolster their failing bloodline. Shortly thereafter, Kariya Matou returned to the family, being considered a black sheep for fleeing them. As he knew the Tohsakas, particularly Tokiomi's wife Aoi, I think it may be related. Two possibilities occur to me, neither of them good. It's possible that Kariya holds some sort of familial affection for Sakura, in an honorary uncle way, and Loki has either taken Sakura as leverage against Kariya…or…"

"Kariya asked for it," Waver mused. "Could she have been abused by the Matous?"

"I heard disturbing rumours about their magecraft, so it's possible. The problem is, Loki is a wildcard. He allied himself with Kirei Kotomine, but allowed my assistant to escape him unharmed. He attacked me, but left me alive. In all likelihood, he has an agenda of his own, probably entertaining himself…"

* * *

Sakura was lying down in the middle of the ritual circle, as Medea went to work, casting spells on her. She was scowling angrily at the results. "This is appalling," Medea hissed. "It's one thing to learn of Crest Worms within a girl so young, but to see it for myself…being frozen alive is too good for Zouken Matou."

"Can you remove them?" Arturia asked, equally disgusted by Zouken Matou's treatment of Sakura.

"I can set up a ritual, but it will take time and preparation," Medea said. "They're infesting much of her body. Thankfully, unlike Kariya, she is in good physical health despite that."

"If your rituals fail, Medea, once this business is over, we will take her to Asgard. Eir is one of the best healers in all the Nine Realms," Loki said. "If Kariya survives, we will take him too. At least he can spend his last days with Sakura, and perhaps have longer than he would have had." He steepled his fingers, leaning back in the chair in Medea's workshop, frowning pensively.

"You seem ill at ease," Arturia observed.

Loki shot her a look, before saying, "You know, it only just occurred to me that, until recently, I saw humans as either dullards or playthings. And yet, ever since I got here, I find myself becoming more favourable to them. Maybe it is seeing them from their level. I've forgotten how interesting they can be. How entertaining they can be."

"Is that why you saved Sakura?" Arturia said in disgust. "For your entertainment?"

Loki scowled at her. " _No_. It is because she is like me." He walked over to Sakura, and knelt down next to her. "I was a Frost Giant, abandoned by my own kind, by my father Laufey, because I was weak by their standards. I was found and adopted by Odin. He wanted me to become a bridge between our people, but he never saw fit to tell me of such a purpose. You at least were told of your destiny, Arturia. I was kept ignorant by my fool of a father. And I was still considered an outsider, a perpetual outsider. But…when I heard about Sakura…I realised it could have been worse, and she, a human, endured worse. How old are you, Sakura?"

"Six," she said.

"Six…and you were in that abominable pit for a year. I should not complain about my own accommodations. Any peril I went into was of my own accord…" After thinking about the situations Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three had dragged him into, he amended, " _Most_ of the time, anyway. To endure such a thing…I daresay you have more strength in your soul than many in Asgard. It's all the more impressive because you are a human being, Sakura."

Sakura blinked. There was now something in those eyes, more than that dull, dead look.

"Your birth father discarded you foolishly into the hands of a monster. Said monster subjected you to a treatment I am sure few on Asgard would endure with the strength you have shown. Do you understand, Sakura? You may not be strong of body…but never let anyone say that you are not strong of heart and spirit. Lesser men and women of many times greater your age would have been reduced to mewling, whimpering messes not fit to even be called human by such an ordeal. If I have my way, you will never be subjected to such a thing ever again. You are neither Sakura Tohsaka nor Sakura Matou any longer. When the Grail War is over, I will take you back to my home, where you will become Sakura of Asgard, and take your rightful place amongst gods. I will teach you magic of both infinite subtlety and immense power the likes of which your enemies will tremble, and will speak of in awed whispers for centuries to come. You may think that the worm pit defiled you. In truth, it was but a crucible, forging you into someone who stands above humanity. I will ensure that, though you may believe yourself out of place in the company of Servants and those of Asgard, you will soon be every bit our equal."

Loki was bullshitting a little. He knew very well that the ordeal in the worm pit had broken rather than forged Sakura, and that she had no will or strength within to speak of, unless it was hidden deep beneath the ruins of the girl who was once Sakura Tohsaka. She hadn't hardened herself as much as numbed herself to the pain inflicted on her. But Loki wasn't lying about one thing: he knew Sakura Matou had potential that her father had squandered, and her adoptive grandfather had used vile means to enhance.

"…I won't have to go back, will I?" Sakura asked.

"Never, as long as I draw breath. Any who try to reclaim you, barring your Uncle Kariya, I shall abjure or slay," Loki said quietly.

And the scariest thing for Loki? He meant every word of that solemn promise. Even if his foe was beyond his ability to slay, he would make sure that Sakura was never harmed. Loki looked up at Medea and Arturia, and he could see their own resolve. Medea may have been the only Servant present loyal to Loki personally, but even Arturia would keep herself here, if only to ensure Sakura was safe from harm.

It was strange, making a sincere promise. Loki found promises to be too binding, to be too easily broken on whims. And yet, for this girl, he would do so. Not on his honour, which was virtually non-existent, nor on the graves of his parents, with his birth parents beneath his contempt and his adoptive parents suspect (though he might, at a stretch, consider Frigga). No, he swore on himself, on his own life, his own determination and will.

And that was all that mattered…

 **CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Kiritsugu has reluctantly teamed up with Iskandar and Waver, and Loki has made a promise he won't back down from. Time will tell if it bites him on the arse.**

 **Next chapter, the Grail Dialogue, but with a twist. After all, Loki and Medea are, technically, royalty…**

 **Review-answering time!** **Paxloria** **:** ** _Atlas_** **, in this story, refers to one of Medea's spells, able to increase nearby atmospheric pressure to hold opponents in place (weighed down like the Titan holding up the sky). There is another Atlas in the Nasuverse: an organisation of alchemists. But** ** _Atlas_** **in this story mostly refers to Medea's ability.**

 **Guest 1** **: (Regarding how I portrayed Sif and the Warriors Three) Thanks, I was worried I had stuffed that up. But Frigga and Thor will reconcile with Loki once Loki comes back to the MCU, though it will be some time before Odin, Sif, and the Warriors Three do so. Well, save maybe for Hogunn. Loki, once he heads back to Asgard, will go into seclusion with Sakura and his Servants for a time before the events of** ** _The Avengers_** **come around.**

 **Iskander Mandoraekon** **: Well, she wouldn't take their heads, but she would certainly threaten to break their hands with a little smile on her face. I can just imagine Arturia and Sif sparring, though, and becoming the best of friends. As DalkonCledwin suggested, though, Arturia will probably be paired with Steve Rogers. And speaking of whom…**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: Would Archetype Earth (well, Arcueid: use her name, dammit!), Altrouge, or TYPE Mercury WANT to free Zouken? Probably not.**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: In this story, Loki absorbed some of the Casket's powers. In normal MCU continuity, those were removed by Thanos to prevent his pawn from being too powerful. Here, he's kept those powers.**

 **Thess** **: Merlin won't be appearing. And while Arturia was far from happy, I think she channelled her rage into trying to figure out a way of escaping Medea and Loki's control. By now, her rage at Diarmuid's demise has gone to a low simmer, and while she is still angry, she's now in this more to protect Sakura than anything, due to her chivalric instincts.**

 **Guest 2** **: I have no plans for them to meet Abridged Alucard, but it's a good idea. You know, I might just do a crossover with** ** _Hellsing_** **along similar lines. Though someone already has done a** ** _Thor/Hellsing_** **crossover: namely** ** _With Friends Like These_** **by Artemis Day, which I discovered as I wrote this response. Check it out here:**

 **s/11938767/1/With-Friends-Like-These**

 **Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the story.**

 **No numbered annotations this time…**


	15. Chapter 14: Iskandar's Drinking Party

**CHAPTER 14:**

 **ISKANDAR'S DRINKING PARTY**

That night, Medea sensed something bursting across the Bounded Fields for Ryuudou Temple. No subtlety, just someone barging through. Peering at her crystal ball, she found the intruders swiftly enough. Most of them, anyway. One of the Servants she sensed must still be astralized. But there was the form of that loud oaf Iskandar, the weedy form of his Master Waver, and Kiritsugu Emiya, all standing in the Gordius Wheel.

Except…Iskandar didn't seem to be here for battle. He was dressed in a ridiculous T-shirt, strained by his muscled form, with a stylised depiction of a world map, and a logo proclaiming it to be _Admirable Tactics_. He also had a massive barrel in his arms, presumably full of alcohol. Loki, who was standing nearby, stared at the image as Iskandar called loudly for them to come out.

"What do we do?" Medea asked.

Loki pursed his lips. "I presume that oaf is here under parley. But we have to keep an eye on the Magus Killer. I shall do so. A good thing most of the monks haven't seen this."

* * *

Just in case Sakura was taken from them while they were distracted by Iskandar and company (especially as they had another Servant at least wandering around astralized), they took her with them to the front courtyard of the temple, Loki erecting illusion spells to give them some privacy. "You shout loud enough to wake the dead, Iskandar. And I must confess myself surprised that you brought the Magus Killer with you."

"He and I have agreed to an alliance for the time being," Iskandar declared. He looked at Kiritsugu pointedly. "As we are here under parley, I have made it very clear that if he tries anything, I will annihilate him myself. However, I see his accusations of you abducting the lovely King of Knights rang true. Though may I ask who is the girl?"

"Her name is Sakura. Born to the Tohsakas, discarded to the Matous," Medea said. "We rescued her from a most appalling fate."

Kiritsugu, upon hearing that, asked, "Has the Matou Master been dealt with?"

"No. On the contrary, he asked us to rescue her in the first place, as that was the main reason for him being in the Grail War," Loki said. "He is a tentative ally to me, but he is not present."

"Sakura was being subjected to vile depravities no child should," Arturia said. "Crest Worms. Imagine Illyasviel subjected to that, Kiritsugu."

Kiritsugu scowled. His initial anger seemed directed at Arturia for her cold address of him, until it seemed to be less directed at her, and more at someone else. Loki guessed that it was Zouken Matou. After a moment, he said, "I knew Matou was a nasty piece of work…but this…what did you do to him?"

"He's on ice, rather literally," Loki said in a rather cavalier manner. "Arturia was of no small help. Admittedly, she was reluctant to work with her kidnappers at first, but when I brought the matter of Sakura up, well…" Loki shrugged. "She is one of the most famous figures in chivalric tradition. Rescuing a damsel in distress is part of her _raison d'etre_ , I would say."

"And why did _you_ save her? Gaining Kariya Matou's help?"

"No, actually," Loki said. "Like Sakura, I was discarded by my birth family and raised by another. But I at least was given the illusion of love and treated, if not well, then far better than Sakura. She had no such comforting illusion, and though such an illusion is cruel, it is better to have it than not. I am sure your own daughter is unaware of you being an assassin…" He then leaned over to Kiritsugu, and hissed, quietly, "…or that her mother is the Lesser Grail."

Kiritsugu's eyes widened. "How did you know that?!" he asked in a quiet, dangerous tone, his self-control lost in the sheer shock of someone knowing.

Loki smirked, before whispering, "We didn't…until you confirmed it. But Caster here put two and two together to make four, which, I have learned, is a number intimately associated with death in this country. She hypothesized what your wife was…and you confirmed it. But other ears may be listening. And as much as I want to cause chaos in this Grail War, I like your wife, and Arturia speaks highly of her, so I won't do anything to harm her." Then, Loki's hands blurred, removing from Kiritsugu's jacket a pistol that seemed like it could fire a rifle bullet, along with a few bullets made for it. "Oh dear, weren't you here under parley?" He threw one of the bullets to Medea, who caught it.

"Give that back," Kiritsugu snapped.

"In good time. I'm not a fool, Magus Killer. Normally, bullets wouldn't be of much use against magic in general if they had time to get a shield up, so I'd be willing to bet that that can do something about that."

"And you'd be right," Medea said, scanning the bullet with a spell. "These bullets have what seem like powdered bone in them. His own rib bone, to be precise, containing his Origin: Severance and Binding. Oh, that's clever."

"Why is that?" Loki asked, actually curious.

"Because if that Origin interacts with a strong enough amount of magic in another, it will cause a massive short circuit in the Magic Circuits of the victim. In other words, you shoot someone using magecraft with it, or rather something they are pouring magic into…and you burn those Magic Circuits out. If they survive, they'd be lucky to have the ability to use magic again. But as you do not use Magic Circuits…it would be extremely painful and damaging…but not lethal and not crippling."

"Hmm. I must concur with Caster. A most ingenious weapon. You can reclaim them at the cloakroom after we're done here," Loki said, freezing the gun and bullets in ice, much to the Magus Killer's annoyance.

"And Arturia?" Kiritsugu said, as calmly as he could.

"Is _my_ Servant now," Medea said, holding up her Command Seals pointedly. "You cannot reclaim her any more than you can reclaim the lost time of your very lifespan."

"Come now!" Iskandar said, trying to defuse the situation. "We are here to speak of different matters! We are here to do battle, with wine!"

"This is a temple, you cacophonic oaf," Loki snapped. "I may not be an adherent to the religion here, but I respect their desire for quiet and, to a certain degree, temperance. You are NOT turning this into the feast hall at Asgard after a particularly long battle."

A chuckle wafted through the air, and eventually, coalescing in a cloud of golden particles, the familiar form of Archer appeared, much to the consternation of everyone bar Iskandar. "I find your tongue amusing when it isn't directed at me, Loki Liesmith," Archer remarked. "For now, I will refrain from slaughtering you. Considering how much I loathe serpents, as well as the insults you inflicted on me, you should feel honoured. In any case, your actions at the Matou household and their effect on my Master amused me. That a Prince of Lies would find his heart stirred by the plight of an otherwise unremarkable chit of a girl."

"I believe we would have differing ideas of amusement, Archer," Loki said coldly.

"Not as divergent as you'd think," Archer said. "You and I have at least one interest in common." In Old Norse, he said, " _A certain troubled priest, which you seem intent on shaping in your image. I don't know whether to be annoyed or amused, but at the moment, I'm being magnanimous and feeling amusement._ "

"Kiritsugu Emiya knows I have been associated with Kirei," Loki said. He looked over at Kiritsugu. "He desperately searches for meaning in his existence, and thought that you were a mirror image, Magus Killer. In a way, he was correct, but you were an inversion."

Kiritsugu scowled. "He is still my enemy. As are you."

"True enough," Loki said. "But I am not a mortal enemy of yours, Magus Killer. And I have at least blunted some of Kirei's interest in you. He considers you a fool for discarding your happiness and becoming a monster like he is. I am channelling his less salubrious instincts into less harmful ways of expressing them."

Kiritsugu scoffed. "Are you trying to be a hero?"

"I am trying to be myself, that is, Loki. And it is only now that I think I am beginning to realise just what that is. I am not a hero by any means, nor am I a villain. I just am. If I do heroic things, it is because I wish to on my own terms, and no other. I am not here to save the world. I am here for my own satisfaction, and to discover myself, and even now, I only see myself dimly. I thought I had known myself, but I did not. However, I know one thing, Kiritsugu Emiya. Threaten what is mine at your peril. Sakura is no longer a Tohsaka or a Matou, but a Lokidottir. Caster is a comrade and, dare I say it, a confidant. Saber is wasted on the likes of you. She and I may never get along, but I at least see her as more than a tool to be discarded once she is of no use. But I cannot say the same about you."

The wince Kiritsugu showed was all that Loki needed to see. Iskandar then said, "A brilliant speech, Loki. Fitting, then, that we are to do battle here with wine and words!"

"If you are turning this into a drinking contest, I suggest you leave," Loki said. "I have a child to look after, and it will soon be well past her bedtime."

"Of course not! Wine merely helps lubricate the passage of truth!" Iskandar said, before thumping a meaty fist down on the barrel, opening it.

"Well, you seem to follow Thor's idiom in dealing with barrels of wine," Loki mused.

Iskandar took a ladle, dipped it into the barrel, and drank from it, before offering it to Arturia, who took it. Archer, upon taking his drink, scowled. "This is wine fit for a king in your opinion?" he sneered haughtily.

"Well, those who drink too much wine think themselves fit to be a king," Loki remarked after taking a sip. The wine was good enough, but not really regal. Medea came over to join them, Sakura close to her. Kiritsugu stood close to Waver and Iskandar.

"A fair truism, Loki Liesmith," Archer said, opening up a golden ripple in the air, which promptly disgorged not a weapon, but a golden jug and a quintet of goblets. "I believe the appropriate term in this era is BYO. Be privileged, curs, for this shall be the finest wine you shall ever drink."

Loki poured out the goblets and handed them around, and sipped from his own, and blinked in surprise. The taste was truly magnificent, but there was something familiar, something that stirred Loki's memory. "Hmm…"

"Hmm? Is that all you have to say, Liesmith, when you drink the best wine you have ever tasted, and never will again?" Archer demanded.

"You mistake my laconic response for disrespect. I am something of a connoisseur when it comes to wines, unlike many of my brethren on Asgard, who generally prefer ale and mead. It is certainly the best wine I have ever tasted…but it's not the first time I have tasted it," Loki said, putting the goblet down gently to prevent spillage.

"You know this vintage?" Iskandar asked, curious.

"Wine has differing tastes based on where the grapes are grown, whether the growing seasons are clement or not, and so on. I could lecture for hours. While I am no expert, this wine certainly has a distinct taste I have only tasted once before…when Odin once went to what was once Mesopotamia, and found the mystical treasure house of a certain king of yore. Included was a rather large wine cellar, which I, along with others, partook of."

Archer's eyelid twitched. "That cur of an Aesir…raided my treasure house?"

Loki chuckled. "Sadly, you cannot take up your issue with him: he resides, as do I, in another world. Still, it has confirmed who you are. Truth is in the wine, as humans say. I didn't expect to find out this way."

"You know who he is?" Kiritsugu said.

"Oh, indeed I do, or at least I suspect." Loki smiled. "Your only friend bore the name of the god who created him, didn't he? Enki's creation…or _Enkidu_."

Archer was looking at him with an undefinable look in his crimson eyes. Whether it was anger at being found out, or anger at mentioning his one and only friend, or even something else, a pride or happiness at finally being recognised, Loki didn't know. "Then go on ahead, Loki of Asgard. Show that you have recognised the true king here."

Loki smiled a thin little smile with little mirth. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce him. This is the man thought of to be one of the first heroes, if not the first. This is King Gilgamesh of Uruk."

 **CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Loki knows who Gilgamesh is. And the Grail Conference has begun.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Blinded in a Bolthole** **: Oh, don't worry about Illya. I'm considering having Loki help Kiritsugu rescue her…**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	16. Chapter 15: On Kings and Heroes

**CHAPTER 15:**

 **ON KINGS AND HEROES**

Tokiomi Tohsaka was not happy. Leaving aside Loki's threats to him regarding the fate of Sakura (he didn't know about the Crest Worms, and even if he did, he never believed that Zouken would be vile enough to put them into Sakura at such a young age), the fact that the anomalous Master had identified Tokiomi's Archer Servant and announced it to one of the enemy Servants, as well as the Magus Killer (Waver was only a threat because of his Servant), didn't help. Even if the Magus Killer's Servant was now in the possession of Loki, or at least his Caster, he was still a threat, and was obviously staying in the Grail War, presumably to try and find another Servant. Lancer was reportedly dead, along with his Master, but given his alliance with Iskandar, it wouldn't do to leave the Magus Killer out of the running.

Kirei had Assassin watching them. If Caster was aware of their presence, she didn't show it. Sakura was there. In a way, Tokiomi had to confess that he was happy Loki had abducted her. In fact, if what Kirei was reporting through his link with Assassin was any indication, she didn't appear to be under any duress. He wished he could see for himself. No, he wished he could be there, to apologise to his daughter for what he had unwittingly done to her, to beg for a forgiveness he wasn't sure he deserved.

Should he have Assassin take Sakura from that place? It was something he was considering. Loki might consider using Sakura as leverage against Tokiomi…or worse, punish Tokiomi by forcing him to never see his daughter again. In fact, the words Kirei relayed via his link with Assassin made the latter seem more likely: Loki had claimed that Sakura's surname was no longer Tohsaka or Matou, but Lokidottr. _Loki Daughter_.

On the other hand, they wanted to discern the full nature of the threat of Iskandar and Caster, and they would need to potentially sacrifice Assassin to do so, and while Assassin had multiple bodies that were all even now within the grounds of Ryuudou Temple, he wasn't sure that sparing one or more of the bodies to bring Sakura back to him was going to work. And abducting Sakura would only serve to turn Loki's attention onto Tokiomi, something he was, admittedly, wary of doing. Loki may not be a god, but he certainly demonstrated abilities that were above most Magi. And for all Tokiomi's pride in his abilities as a Magus, he was also a prudent man. He didn't want to incur the wrath of a man who could possibly storm through his mansion as if the magical defences were nothing, especially with both a Caster and a Saber Servant by his side.

Gilgamesh might even let them kill Tokiomi: the King of Heroes was arrogant beyond belief, and Tokiomi knew that he bored Gilgamesh somewhat. And if it suited Gilgamesh to allow Loki and his Servants to kill him, then he would do so, and only Tokiomi using one of his precious Command Seals would prevent that. He had already used one to get Gilgamesh to leave the battlefield at the docks, and he needed at least another to force Gilgamesh to commit suicide to fully prime the Grail. He needed to find the right subtext to gain one of those spare Command Seals from Risei Kotomine, one that the other Masters wouldn't object to.

He decided to listen to what Kirei was relaying from Assassin. Maybe he could learn something more before he had Kirei set Assassin on them…

* * *

Gilgamesh was clapping in a manner that was both sardonic and sincere. "Well done, Loki Liesmith. You are at least capable of recognising your true king."

"I am capable of recognising your identity, in any case," Loki said. His eyes flickered over to Iskandar. "You say this is to be a battle of words. Of what discourse shall this be?"

"Why, our goals for the Grail, of course!" Iskandar boomed.

"Well then, may I request something?" Loki's eyes flickered over to Kiritsugu and Waver. "I would like the Masters to also declare what their interest in the Grail is. Arturia has divulged something of your desires, Magus Killer, but I want to hear it from your lips. And I would be curious as to what an amateur mage wanted from the Grail, Waver Velvet. Let the laymen speak before those of royal blood. It is laymen who win wars, and not just kings."

Iskandar, after a moment, said, "Very well. Boy, you're up."

Waver scowled, before he said, "I'm not actually interested in the Grail itself, just the achievement of winning the Grail War, and the prestige it brings. I don't have much of a Magus lineage, so most look down on me."

Loki sighed sympathetically. "Well then, Waver Velvet, that in itself is an admirable goal, even if you are somewhat young and inexperienced to join this."

"You think so?"

"I speak not of the prestige it brings, but rather, of the desire to show your detractors that you are better than they think you are. Be careful you do not overreach yourself." Loki looked over at Kiritsugu Emiya. "And you? Arturia and Irisviel both told me you desire a peaceful world. Is that even possible with the Grail, Kiritsugu Emiya?"

"It's impossible without it," Kiritsugu said.

"That doesn't answer my question, Magus Killer. But I would ask you another question. Is it truly worth the price, the sacrifice you are making?"

"Yes."

"Then you are an even greater fool than I thought. How would such a peace come about? Through stifling the minds and hearts of humanity? Turning them into castrated sheep? Or better yet, wiping out the whole world." Loki chuckled cruelly. "I mean, corpses are immensely peaceful. Don't get me wrong, saving the world from an immediate threat is quite laudable, Magus Killer. If the Grail would help you against an invasion from aliens, or from a plague sweeping the world, then I would not sneer. But to try and change the very foundation of humanity, no, to change a foundation of sentience itself…aggression is needed for survival, and while it causes war…it also provides a drive to strive and improve. It's not a utopia you are going to wish for, just a static, indolent nothing that makes Asgard look progressive by comparison. For all it being a realm of war-mongering imbeciles, it is at least more interesting than the world you desire!"

"You have no right to judge me, Loki Liesmith," Kiritsugu snapped.

" _Au contraire_ , I believe I do. Kirei was right. You are a pathetic excuse for a human looking for salvation in the wrong places! You would better serve humanity by putting a gun to your head and pulling the trigger, instead of pursuing such a dangerous idea! Better to mitigate the horrors of your species than to effectively neuter humanity. Better to be a monster who restrains or channels his impulses and tries to do good in spite of it, than to fall into being a killer who dresses up his goals in a righteousness he doesn't deserve."

"And Arturia deserves that?" Kiritsugu demanded. "Her kind, heroes like those we are sitting with, inspire humans to atrocities, all because they make war glorious! You speak of killers dressing up their goals in righteousness? War is hell, bloody and atrocious! And humans have not advanced one jot past the Stone Age, mentally speaking! We're still savage animals. So don't you dare criticise my methods. Death is equal, whether it be via a duel with swords, or my putting a bullet through your skull."

Gilgamesh chose that moment to laugh, uproariously. "Oh, this is hilarious! I daresay your new Master is infinitely more tolerable than your old one, Saber!"

Loki merely sneered at the Magus Killer. "We are more alike than we care to realise, Magus Killer. And you have a point. But have you forgotten, rather conveniently, of the good heroes like Arturia, or Iskandar, have inspired? How much good have they inspired that outweighs the bad? Your pathetic species needs heroes to look up to, for how else would they strive? They need examples. Look at Waver. He is but rough clay, but he has the potential to reach heights you can only dream of, and perhaps Iskandar will serve as that example. But you, Kiritsugu Emiya, will never serve as an example of anything, save for how not to be a hero. You may think you are destined to save the world from the Grail. Even before I knew of your wish, it was going to give me great pleasure to deny yours. Now, it's a solemn duty as much as a pleasure. It is only you being under parley that prevents me from striking you down, but know this, Magus Killer. I intend to make you watch your little world crumble around you. You have offended me."

"And you consider yourself a hero?" Kiritsugu demanded, desperate for one last grasp at a small victory.

"As I said to you before, I am not a hero or a villain. I am simply Loki. No more, no less. And I don't need a magical cup to correct _my_ mistakes. Oh, that would be great…but I have to wonder, at what cost does such a wish come with? That is why I am content to follow the suggestion of Zelretch, and thwart the plans of each and every one of you. If nothing else, it will be entertaining."

Gilgamesh chuckled. "You and I have that much in common. I am in this mostly to safeguard the Grail from the thieves who would plunder it, for such a majestic item, if it is not in my treasury, deserves to be there. But I also confess to enjoying being the bane of the desire of another."

"By what right do you claim the Grail to be yours, Gilgamesh?" Medea asked.

"By dint of being the King of Heroes, the ruler of this garden you call the world. Everything truly valuable and beautiful in it belongs to me by right." His crimson eyes flickered over to Iskandar. "And you, _King of Conquerors_ , what would you do with the Grail?"

"Why to be born anew in this world in a new body, and conquer this world, and those beyond!" Iskandar boomed. When Loki snorted, Iskandar asked, "You find my ambitions amusing?"

"Contemptible," Loki said. "Do these people want you to conquer them? Of course not! Humans, so avaricious. You," he pointed at Gilgamesh, "covet the Grail out of the absolute personal belief that it is yours. And you," he pointed at Iskandar, "are a thief on a grand scale who takes peoples' lives, livelihoods, and lands without their permission. And isn't the very definition of insanity doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result? You may be a powerful Heroic Spirit, but you are a fool, Iskandar. King of Thieves is a more appropriate title."

Iskandar merely looked slightly miffed, so Loki had to give him that much. Had Loki said anything of the sort to Thor (and for all Thor's battle-lust, he wasn't a conqueror), Thor would have attacked Loki in a rage. Iskandar then said, "Caster…or rather, Medea of Colchis, what would you desire with the Grail?"

Medea's lips pursed at Iskandar revealing her identity to Gilgamesh, but she said, "I believe I already have it. I have a second chance to live anew, without the Olympians meddling in my life. Aphrodite's meddling and Jason's lack of fidelity was part of what twisted me into the Witch of Betrayal you know from legend. Had I been able to live my life over, I would have let Jason perish in his quest for the Golden Fleece. I betrayed my family for him, thanks to Aphrodite instilling that infatutation…and he betrayed me. I hope that this second chance will be a better one."

Iskandar, after a moment, nodded. "Fair enough. Arturia, what would you desire with the Grail?"

"A chance to live my life and reign anew, to prevent Camelot from falling," Arturia said. "I failed my duty as king. I will not fail again."

Iskandar and Gilgamesh looked at Arturia incredulously, with Gilgamesh chuckling, and Iskandar scowling at Arturia. "Then tell me, Arturia, what do you think a king should be like?"

Arturia glanced at Loki briefly, before she said, "Truthfully, I know not for certain. Not anymore. I was told that I lost my allies and friends through my utter conviction. One thing that shall not change is that I believe a king to be defender of their people, shield and sword both."

After a moment, Iskandar remarked, "So you wish to erase the glorious deeds of your followers, to spit on their sacrifices?"

"Do they need to be sacrificed in the first place?!" Arturia retorted. "Too many of my friends and comrades died because of my failures as King! And I will admit now, I caused some discontent through my decisions. Some, I have to stand by, and others…perhaps not. But I am not wholly wrong! I made mistakes, but I wish to rectify them."

Iskandar snorted. "You may have saved the Britons, but can you tell me you truly ruled them? That you showed them what a King should be? No, you forsook your men when they lost their way, following your petty little ideals with a clear conscience."

Arturia gritted her teeth, but she said, "At least I never took what wasn't mine, King of Thieves. At least I am willing now to admit my mistakes. Unlike you, should I win the Grail, I do not intend to repeat them. Even Kiritsugu, for all his flaws and his contempt for the likes of we, is better than you. He at least shares a hope for redemption with me."

Gilgamesh snorted. "Oh, I just love that look on your face, like that of a newly-deflowered virgin."

Loki said, rather mildly, "There is a child present. I will thank you to keep your tongue civilised, Gilgamesh."

"I believe the child once belonged to my Master," Gilgamesh drawled. "What would stop me from slaying you all and reclaiming her?"

"Because Tokiomi discarded her. He has no right to her!" Loki snapped. "And should he attempt to take her back, I would fight to my last breath to deny him."

Gilgamesh chuckled softly. "And here I was wondering how you of all people could father the great wolf Fenrir. Well, it seems that you are a loyal guard dog. I wonder if you really bore Sleipnir."

Loki snarled, but before he could do anything, they noticed dark shapes surrounding them. Dark shapes wearing skull-like masks. "It seems that we have more guests," he said mildly, though he inwardly panicked. There were many Assassins, at least a few score present, surrounding them. He drew in Sakura close, readying the magic of the Casket once more. Arturia and Medea both stood, as did Kiritsugu. After a moment's mental debate, Loki defrosted the gun and bullets, and threw them over to the Magus Killer.

"Tokiomi…it seems he has decided to intervene via Kirei's cowardly Servant."

"But there's so many of them! How can this be one Servant?!" Waver demanded.

"A Noble Phantasm," Loki said. "Multiple bodies for the one Servant."

"Calm yourselves," Iskandar said, bringing up a ladle of wine. "They may yet prove which one of us is a truly worthy king, and the words of a king are for all to hear. Perhaps they would like to talk ere they fight? Whoever wishes to speak, come take a drink. This wine is as your blood."

In response, a knife was hurled, spilling the ladle, and the gathered Assassins laughed jeeringly. "Oh dear. I don't think they understood the meaning," Loki remarked. "You fools just spilled blood…and I think Iskandar is just about to try to spill yours."

"Indeed," Iskandar said, standing. A powerful wind seemed to blast through the area, and Iskandar roared, "Arturia, Gilgamesh, one last question! Must a king stand alone?!"

"I know not anymore," Arturia said. "Kings must stand apart, but perhaps they do not have to stand alone."

Iskandar roared with laughter. "Then perhaps there is hope for you yet, King of Knights! Behold, the truth!" And with that, the world dissolved in a flare of light…

* * *

…Only to seemingly resolve itself into a vast, sun-scorched desert, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Medea stared around her in awe. "A Reality Marble…" she murmured. "This is your trump card, Iskandar…a Reality Marble…"

"I beg your pardon?" Loki asked as he kept Sakura close. He hadn't seen anything about this in the book Zelretch gave him. And the Assassins seemed as bemused as everyone else, barring Iskandar, were.

Kiritsugu stared around in understandable, if uncharacteristic awe. "A mental world that can temporarily override reality. Anyone possessing one would get an automatic Sealing Designation slapped on them. Though I'd like to see them try with Rider. I never thought I'd even see one in my whole life."

"Impressed, Magus Killer?" Iskandar said with a grin. "But this show has not yet begun!"

"I presume you're not going to try and dehydrate the Assassins, or throw sand in their eyes," Loki snarked.

Iskandar roared with laughter, before saying, "Your jests aside, you fail to see the truth, that these are the sand-cloaked wastes that my armies marched across, in both joy and sorrow. These plains remain in their hearts, and it is that which I can make manifest. Behold!"

Loki then saw them, appearing over the dunes. A vast army, numbering in the hundreds, no thousands, or perhaps their number was uncountable. "Huh. You have an army."

"Indeed! My peerless army, made of the heroes who have ridden, marched, fought by my side, whose loyalty binds them to me! Death may have taken them, time may work to erase their deeds, but yet, they stand here with me now! Behold, _the Ionian Hetairoi!_ "

Loki turned back to look at the Assassins. "I do believe that they've realised how profoundly they are in trouble," he remarked dryly, almost as much as the desert they were in.

Iskandar then mounted a horse (an admittedly magnificent horse), and then yelled some bombastic inspirational speech, before he charged forward. Loki, in watching this, was reminded of an ant being squashed by a boot. Some Assassins fled. At least one, the female one Loki had seen before, stood where she was, and surrendered herself to her inevitable demise. Others stood and fought. But Iskandar's victory was inevitable. And soon, after a cry of triumph from Iskandar and his army, the courtyard of the temple came back.

After a moment's contemplation, and scooping another drink from the wine barrel, Iskandar said, "Waver, Magus Killer, come along. We're done here." As Arturia looked set to protest, Iskandar looked back at her, his expression rather contemplative. "Arturia…had it not been for what you said…I might have considered you a King no longer. Just a little girl clinging to a foolish dream. But perhaps there is some hope yet, even with our differing views on kingship. Consider what you do very carefully ere you strive further for the Grail. You may not like how I view kingship, but please consider my words." With that, he mounted his Gordius Wheel, along with his companions, and rode away into the night.

Gilgamesh snorted. "Pay that oaf no mind, Arturia. Your path is your right to follow, no matter what." A vicious grin then split his features. "I will savour your anguish and suffering as your burdens crush you…perhaps you might be worthy of my love…"

As Gilgamesh dissolved into a flurry of golden particles, Medea gently helped Arturia up, the Saber Servant looking morose. "Arturia…" Medea said quietly. When the blonde swordswoman looked up, Medea smiled. "You are better than he is. Never forget that."

No smile came across Arturia's face, but her posture straightened slightly, and the two Servants, followed by Loki and Sakura, left for bed and rest, knowing that tomorrow would bring, if not a better day, then a new opportunity…

 **CHAPTER 15 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, we've had the rest of the Grail Dialogue, and Arturia's uncertainty to her situation has actually worked to her advantage this time. Next chapter, Kiritsugu Emiya commits a brutal act in order to regain a chance at winning the Grail…**

 **Review-answering time!** **Guest** **: (regarding Illyria being summoned) Hahaha! Yeah, that would be hilarious and awesome, though I doubt the Grail could summon her.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	17. Chapter 16: The Magus Killer Strikes

**CHAPTER 16:**

 **THE MAGUS KILLER STRIKES BACK**

Kiritsugu Emiya didn't sleep much at this point. His mind was alight with strategies, and after last night, he knew he needed a new edge. He needed to get another Servant. But how?

With Lancer and Assassin gone (Iri had told him she had sensed Assassin being taken into the Grail, and she was weakening, which indicated Assassin was now dead for good), there was only five Servants left. Two of those were in Loki's hands. One was controlled by Tokiomi Tohsaka. Another, he was allied with, but it was an uneasy alliance. And finally, there was Kariya Matou's Servant. Berserker.

Kiritsugu was no fool. His alliance with Iskandar and Waver was temporary, especially as he needed to win the Grail to ensure his dreams of a peaceful world became reality, no matter how much Loki had mocked it. Only the Grail could ensure world peace.

And he also knew that Loki meant every word when he threatened to thwart Kiritsugu's dreams. Whether Loki had the ability or not was immaterial, though Loki was potentially powerful enough, especially with those abilities of his. But the conviction was real enough. Loki intended to thwart Kiritsugu, and it was made even more galling by the fact that his assessment of both Kiritsugu and his argument about heroes was damnably correct.

But Kiritsugu was damned if he was going to give Loki the last laugh. It was one thing to be an unwitting obstacle on the path to world peace. It was another to willingly obstruct it, thwart it at every turn, and mock it. Kiritsugu Emiya was a wounded animal, kept at bay, cornered and taunted. But animals in such a situation are often at their most dangerous.

Unlike Medea, who had the ability to transfer the Command Seals to herself via the Rule Breaker, Kiritsugu would have to find someone willing to transfer the contract…or a Master he could kill with ease. Loki had two Servants at his beck and call to defend himself with. Tohsaka was holed up in his mansion, and Gilgamesh was a formidable Servant. Betraying Waver at this point would only ensure that Iskandar killed Kiritsugu instead of making a new contract.

But Kariya Matou? Ah, there was a possibility. He had little Magus training, would doubtless be weakened by an intensive course of Crest Worms…and his Servant, while mana-intensive, had an advantage against Gilgamesh. Not only that, but Berserker had some sort of grudge against Arturia, which could be a double-edged sword. According to Arturia herself and Irisviel, they observed that Berserker knew the length of Excalibur, despite it still being wreathed in the Invisible Air Noble Phantasm. Which suggested that Berserker was a figure from Arthurian myth. While Mordred was the first such figure to come to mind, Kiritsugu had a feeling that there was something else.

He doubted Berserker had any real loyalty to Kariya. He needed to find a way of first tracking down and killing Kariya…and then getting Berserker to make a new contract. The former, hopefully, would be easy (tracking him down would mean using familiars), Berserker aside. And finding Kariya. Getting Berserker to accept the contract was another matter entirely.

But without this…well, Kiritsugu was desperately grasping for ideas. He needed to ensure a peaceful world for his daughter to grow up in…or all was lost.

Even so, a small, treacherous part of him remembered what Loki said. About how he would serve the world better by shooting himself in the head. And that part of himself agreed wholeheartedly…

* * *

Early the next morning, Medea frowned as she sensed something pass the Bounded Fields around the temple. She hastened over to her viewing crystal, and watched as the wasted figure of Kariya staggered up the steps, hood concealing his face. He was being helped by Kirei, of all people. "Loki," she said, indicating the viewing crystal.

Loki walked over, and peered at the image. "Hmm. I think Kariya wants to see Sakura. Arturia?"

"Do you wish for me to accompany you?" the Saber Servant asked.

"Actually, I was going to ask for the opposite," Loki said. "Berserker had a rather bad reaction to you. If Berserker sees you…"

Arturia nodded. "I understand. You want to avoid unnecessary conflict with Kariya while he is visiting Sakura. But Loki…if Kariya can tell you why Berserker had such a bad reaction to me…"

"I'll ask him," Loki said. "Use Medea's viewing crystal. If we do get into trouble, we may need your help…"

* * *

They found Kariya and Kirei near the entrance, the former supported by the latter. "Uncle Kariya!" Sakura yelped, flinging her arms around Kariya in an embrace.

"Hi, Sakura. I told you I'd get you out. Sorry I couldn't do it myself, but…" Kariya said with a painful smile, before he started coughing, and sagged to his knees. Medea was by his side in an instant, casting a healing spell.

Kirei looked on with a troubled expression. "You seem ill at ease," Loki said. "I mean more than usual. I'm curious, why did you order Assassin to attack last night?"

Kirei's eyes flickered over to Loki. "Tokiomi ordered it. He wanted to test the abilities of the Servants present, especially Iskandar. It was deemed a necessary sacrifice: Assassin had served their purpose."

"So, how much did you see of our drinking party, then?"

"Most of it. Tokiomi was not happy when you identified Archer," Kirei said. "He was more concerned about Sakura. He modified the order to attack to avoid targeting his daughter, as well as Archer."

"His daughter?" Loki scoffed. "He discarded Sakura to the Matous."

"He told me he didn't know about the Crest Worms," Kirei said. "Kariya doesn't quite believe me, but the man has something of a grudge against Tokiomi. That, and he covets the man's wife. Which breaks the Ninth Commandment, as far as Catholicism is concerned."

Kariya scoffed bitterly. "And Tokiomi broke the commandment that said ' _love thy daughter, especially if she hasn't done anything wrong_ '. You're not going to take her back."

"Of course not. Tokiomi doesn't know I'm here, though my father may have told him. In any case, my father too was horrified by Sakura's plight. He considered it the first true misjudgement he ever knew Tokiomi to make. I was coming here to discuss matters, when I came across Kariya."

"He's fine enough…for the time being," Medea remarked. "But the Crest Worms have done a number on you, Kariya."

Sakura looked into her uncle's eyes, and then asked, "Are you dying, Uncle Kariya?"

Judging by the look on his face, he seemed to debate with himself whether to lie. Eventually, he nodded. "…I'm sorry, Sakura. I did it all to get you out of Zouken's clutches. I'm so sorry." A bitter chuckle wormed itself from his lips. "I couldn't even do it alone, I had to get Loki to do it."

"It's okay, Uncle Kariya." She hugged him. "You cared."

* * *

As they let Kariya and Sakura have a reunion, Loki and Medea were speaking to Kirei. "I found your little speech to the Magus Killer amusing," Kirei said. "I have to confess, it was one of the first times I had laughed for a long time. Father looked askance at me, though. But when you said you were no hero or villain, merely yourself…did you mean that?"

"Yes. It took some time for me to realise that. Why do you ask?"

"…You know something of what I am like. I am worse than a villain, I am a monster. So how can I be myself?"

"Well, I suggested pranks. Perhaps you could ask for an apprenticeship under Zelretch?" Loki asked. "I may not be as good a teacher as he is, and I am sure he could find you ways to channel your instincts in healthy ways."

Kirei scoffed quietly. "I doubt it would be so simple."

"Perhaps not. But…I am a Frost Giant, Kirei. I am a monster by nature as well. But…perhaps I don't need to be one by deed. I just should be who I am. But as to your path, well…"

Kirei scoffed again. "I wasn't exactly expecting to be Paul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus."

Kariya chose that moment to limp over, Sakura in tow. "I heard from Byakuya that you had that Saber Servant with you. Could you have her watch over Sakura?"

"Sure. Sakura, go back to Saber, okay?" Loki asked gently.

Sakura nodded, and scurried off. "You were smart not to bring her out. Saber, I mean," Kariya said.

"Yes, I noticed that Berserker had a bit of a grudge against her. Why is that? Is he a figure from Arthurian myth?" Medea asked.

Kariya laughed painfully. "You could say that. My Servant has a Noble Phantasm, For Someone's Glory, which prevents people from discerning his identity or attributes, other than his class, of course."

"His?" Loki asked. "So…not Mordred?"

"No." Kariya looked over at Kirei, who shrugged. "Are you going to tell Tokiomi about this? I may have achieved my goal in the Grail War, but I'm not going to say no to a final showdown with Tokiomi."

"I think it would be more amusing for me to ensure that Tokiomi learns through other channels," Kirei said.

Kariya laughed. "Can you get photos and videos of the moment he shits himself?"

"I don't think the identity of your Servant will do such a thing, but rest assured, should such an incident occur and you are still alive, I will endeavour to bring you such material."

"Ha! Then maybe I will tell you. Berserker is Lancelot of the Lake."

Medea blinked. "Sir Lancelot? Oh my, I didn't expect Berserker to be Lancelot."

"But if that is the case, why does Lancelot persist in attacking Arturia?" Kirei asked.

"Either revenge or expiation," Medea mused. "Lancelot was punished for having an affair with Guinevere, remember? He either wants to avenge himself upon Arturia…or else wants to die by her hand."

"It's the latter," Kariya said. "At least…that's the gist I got. Listen…I don't think I have much time left. Even with the healing your Caster gave me, I doubt I've got more than weeks left at most. And that's being generous."

"I'd say A week," Medea said. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I was resigned to dying if it meant giving Sakura a new chance. But…look after her for me. And at least let Aoi and Rin see her before you take her away. They deserve that much. As for me…well, I'm going to settle accounts with Tokiomi…or die trying." He emitted another bitter chuckle. "Probably the latter."

Loki looked him up and down. "There are healers on Asgard who might be able to give you a longer life. More time with Sakura. If you…"

"No thanks. Maybe if I survived this, I'd consider it…but, well…look at it this way. If I'm lucky, I'll finish Tokiomi's damned Servant off. If I'm not…well, Sakura's away from the Matous. That's all that matters. See you later." And with that, Kariya limped away.

"I'll talk later," Kirei said. "I think I'd best be off myself."

Loki and Medea nodded, and watched as Kariya and Kirei left the temple grounds, unlikely partners, even if only temporarily…

* * *

Kariya Matou limped along the forest-lined road as he made his way away from the Ryuudou Temple steps, Kirei having left on his own errands. He was resigned to his death now. But he was happy, if only because of one reason: Sakura was safe. Oh, he wanted to kill or at least humble Tokiomi as soon as possible, true, but his main purpose, in freeing Sakura from that old worm he was forced to call a father when in reality, Zouken was a distant ancestor…well, his main purpose was fulfilled.

What was to be his last talk with Sakura had been a good one. He wasn't wholly content, but at this moment, he felt more content than he had for some time.

Which was why, when the bullet went through his head, killing him instantly, his last thoughts, mercifully, had been good ones. Even as his head from his nose up effectively exploded, his mouth showed a smile, rendered grotesque by the effects of the Crest Worms, but still a sincere one.

As Kariya perished, even before his corpse hit the ground, Berserker deastralized. The dark form of Sir Lancelot of the Lake knew where the bullet had come from, too late to protect his Master, but perhaps he had just long enough, in his madness-addled mind, to deal with the killer.

But as Lancelot charged through along the road, seeking out his prey, he could hear words in his mind. Words of power and binding, a modified form of the Grail summoning ritual chant. Part of him wanted to resist, to avenge his fallen Master. Another part knew that, if he accepted, he would get the chance to have his final battle with the King who had wronged him, and whom he had wronged. He would remain in the world long enough for accounts to be settled, one way or another.

Even as Lancelot charged, the small rational parts of his mind warred over what to do…whether to accept the new contract, or to murder the man who killed his Master.

He found the man hidden in the nearby trees…and was about to attack…only to halt. One desire outweighed another. And before the man who had taken his Master from him…Lancelot of the Lake knelt.

 _Servant Berserker accepts your contract_ , he spoke into the man's mind. _What is your will, my Master?_

Kiritsugu Emiya looked at the kneeling knight, wreathed in dark smoke, before saying, "For the moment, we retire to my base."

No acknowledgement of words entered the Magus Killer's head. Instead, Berserker vanished in a plume of dark mist. It was sheer luck that a familiar used by Maiya spotted Kariya and Kirei heading up to Ryuudou Temple, allowing Kiritsugu to set up an ambush. It was even more lucky that Berserker had accepted the new contract.

While he didn't look back, Kiritsugu's thoughts still turned to Kariya Matou. A small part of him mourned the white sheep of the Matou family: he was out of his depth and, he had wanted to save that Sakura girl. But the rest of Kiritsugu just thought it necessity, even a mercy. He had seen Kariya's face through his rifle's scope, the damage the Crest Worms had wrought on his body. Death was a release for a dead man walking.

And some part of Kiritsugu was elated. He now had a chance again, a chance to win the Holy Grail War and save the world, make it peaceful, no matter what the cost. Nothing would stop him. Not even Loki.

* * *

Sakura had managed to lock the viewing crystal onto her Uncle Kariya, and she had been watching him leave with a sad smile on her face, Arturia by her side. But when she saw Kariya's head explode, and the man himself sag to the ground, her eyes widened in shock and horror. Loki, who had been nearby, hastened to cover her eyes, while Medea and Arturia stared. Medea readjusted the crystal to focus on Berserker as he charged off…only for the Magus Killer to succeed in binding him.

Arturia paled. "Kiritsugu…" she murmured. "What have you done?"

"Uncle Kariya…" Sakura sobbed, before spinning around and embracing Loki, who returned the embrace, comforting the girl who had seen her honorary uncle die. If Sakura's innocence wasn't already dead thanks to the actions of her father and Zouken Matou, then this had surely been the _coup de grace_. No child should have had to witness it, and it was only the worst of luck that she had.

As he watched the Magus Killer walk away, Loki glared at the image of the man, his stoic expression set in determination. Loki had already vowed solemnly to put an end to the man's ambitions. But this had only deepened his resolve. Kiritsugu would see his world reduced to ashes…and then, and only then, would he have Loki's permission to die…

 **CHAPTER 16 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Well, Kiritsugu's killed Kariya and managed to gain Berserker, but not before Kariya got to say a final goodbye to Sakura. It was a bit tricky pulling this off without Kiritsugu coming across as a villain (he is, for this story, an antagonist), but I think I have managed it. Kiritsugu is desperate to win the Grail and achieve his dream, so I don't think doing this is at all OOC for him. But at the same time, a small part of him hates himself for resorting to such measures.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Amelia831** **: Well, as you saw from the above, Kariya, sadly, didn't get a happy ending, beyond a quick, merciful death. But Loki, Medea, and Arturia will be there for Sakura…hopefully…**

 **Mythfan** **: I did variations of the same in my Potterverse crossovers** ** _Ex Umbra in Solem_** **and** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **(plug, plug), though Harry merely refutes Kiritsugu's view on heroes rather than saying he would tear down his world. Kuja will probably do the same in my** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **crossover** ** _Kuja von Einzbern_** **if and when I get to that point in the story.**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: The term 'bashing' usually suggests perverting the characters from what they are like in canon. I like Arturia, so I love to reconstruct her than deconstruct her, give her opportunities to grow out of that monolithic nature of hers by having her accept her own flaws, and try to better herself in spite of them. It's tempting to bash Kiritsugu, but while he IS an antagonist here, he's not that different from canon.**

 **As for Arturia kicking Thor's arse, well, yeah. Thor has probably more experience than her, true, but I'd like to think that Heroic Spirits/Servants are at least one level above Asgardians and Frost Giants (Loki managed to catch Diarmuid by surprise in their fight). However, I personally think that Mjolnir would be at the level of a Noble Phantasm at the least, so it could withstand Excalibur to a degree. I would have thought it indestructible…but then again, I saw the recent trailer for** ** _Thor: Ragnarok_** **, and the bit where Hel crushes and shatters Mjolnir in one hand.**

 **Thunder Dragon** **: Illyria was an ancient, eldritch god from the** ** _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_** **spinoff** ** _Angel_** **. It takes over one of the characters in one of the last series.**

 **SSJR Goku Black** **: He doesn't fear Zelretch because Zelretch is more powerful than Odin, but because Zelretch is an unrepentant iconoclast. Layman's terms: Zelretch would prank the everloving fuck out of Odin and not care about any retaliation. Odin doesn't fear being hurt as much as being humiliated by an ancient vampire who doesn't care about Odin's power. You have a problem with that? Well, the door's right there.**

 **EternalKnight219** **: Thanks. I've been meaning to do a fic based on** ** _A Song of Ice and Fire_** **or** ** _Game of Thrones_** **for some time now. In fact, very recently, I did a one-shot crossover (the very first) between** ** _A Song of Ice and Fire_** **and** ** _Black Lagoon_** **, called** ** _Roanapur's Imp_** **(again, plug, plug). However, I am a little reluctant to do a more in-depth crossover, at least one set in Westeros, as the storylines are so intricate and intertwined that I find it a bit hard to follow it all, especially after Book 3. So any attempt for me to do such a story justice would probably fall flat on its face. So if I ever do another** ** _A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones_** **crossover, it will probably be one of the characters ending up in another franchise, either through improbable teleportation, or reincarnation.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	18. Chapter 17: The Gathering Storm

**CHAPTER 17:**

 **THE GATHERING STORM**

Arturia stared at Loki in horror, while Medea took a now-unconscious Sakura out of the room. The Caster Servant had used a spell to render the young girl asleep for the time being, at least while the adults planned. "Is this true?" she whispered.

"Kariya claimed that. I doubt he had any reason to lie," Loki said softly. "If it helps, I am sorry for you. It can't be easy to learn that one of your comrades is now one of your worst enemies. And now he is in the hands of your former Master."

Arturia looked over to the crystal ball, which was currently tracking Kiritsugu Emiya as he made his way back to the Einzbern Castle. "Tis cold comfort, I am afraid, Loki. A shame I never truly met Kariya Matou…to sacrifice so much of himself for a girl not of his blood…willing to die for her…even if there were darker impulses in him, there is much that was laudable."

"I know." Loki frowned. "I do believe he was the first human I truly cared about, Heroic Spirits aside. Or rather, I cared about Sakura's plight…but by proxy, got involved in Kariya's too. Mayhap he is in Valhalla…or whatever afterlife humans go to. I for one will remember him. I think few, save for Sakura, will."

"What do you intend on doing? Are you going to go out and seek revenge?" Arturia asked.

"Wouldn't you?" Loki asked, his eyes meeting hers. Where they had danced with mirth earlier, they were now cold and hard, like gemstones robbed of warmth. "I am not like Thor or most of Asgard. When I avenge an insult, I am patient about it. I believe the humans have a saying, that revenge is a dish best served cold. I will consider my revenge very carefully before undertaking it. The Magus Killer has only strengthened my resolve to make my words of last night a reality."

"Loki…I cannot ask you to forswear vengeance. I too am truly, deeply angry with my former Master. But is his dream truly something you wish to destroy?"

"Yes. Leaving aside the latest insult…how would the Grail grant his wish? Would it lobotomise the human race? Would it wipe them out altogether? I have to admit, until recently, I would have cared little. But having lived and fought amongst you, I find myself starting to care. I once thought of conquest, that they were ants seen from afar. Ants have no real quarrel with the boot, I thought…until I found myself amongst those who could be stepped on. What's more, these foolish humans have no idea of the Magi who walk amongst them, who wield unimaginable powers, but do little to help their fellow man, being merely obsessed with their quest to investigate Akasha…or darker goals, as you saw with Zouken. And even your former Master is dreadfully trigger-happy, even for an assassin with morals. Kirei Kotomine is a better man than the Magus Killer, as he at least strives against his own evil nature, whereas Emiya indulges in it, believing the ends wholly justify the means. But I wonder…can he look at himself in the mirror? Can he sleep with his wife, knowing what he did? You mentioned his daughter. What does she know about his profession?"

"I know not if Illyasviel knows of his profession, but I doubt it. But Irisviel believes in him."

"She's a Homunculus, an automaton created by magic. She doesn't know any better. And she was created to die to create the Lesser Grail! She is little more than a sentient vessel, designed to be filled with the essences of Heroic Spirits like you and Medea! The fact that she hasn't rebelled shows that she is resigned to such a fate!"

"Nay, committed, not resigned," Arturia said. "Irisviel is full of life, and full of love for Kiritsugu. She was far removed from the other Homunculi I met in the Einzbern Castle in Germany."

"That is little better. The galling thing is, Kiritsugu and I are similar in many respects, too similar. I am a pragmatist, Arturia. I will lie, I will cheat and steal and kill to get what I want. I don't subscribe to petty ideals like chivalry and fair play."

"Then why did you defend me from Iskandar last night?"

"Because, despite your idiocy in persisting in your ideals, Arturia, you are admirable. You have grace and poise and wit, certainly more than my brother. You are beautiful in body and spirit, because you hold yourself to a higher standard than the rest of humanity. Never forget, Arturia, you may be my Servant, or at least Medea's, but you are still a King. But even a King needs defending. You never fought truly alone, did you? You had the Knights of the Round Table by your side. I am certainly no gallant and chivalrous knight, far from it…but make no mistake, Arturia. You are worth defending."

"Am I? Especially as Lancelot turned out as…that beast?" Arturia asked quietly.

"I never said you were perfect, Arturia. Indeed, you made mistakes. But you want to correct them. Should you get the Grail…you can do that." Loki had to wonder why he was getting so attached to her. Perhaps, like him, she was pushed into a role from an early age. Odin had wanted him to be a bridge between the Frost Giants and Asgard, despite the belligerence between the two…and his biological father abandoning him in the first place. Arturia may have made the choice to draw the Sword in the Stone…but she probably saw it as destiny.

After a moment, Arturia said, her voice heavy with emotion, "You claimed that to be a king was to be shackled. Perhaps that is correct. But that also means Lancelot is my mistake to correct."

"And that is why you are better than my brother, or indeed those oafs who berated you last night. You see kingship as a responsibility, not a right, and you acknowledge your mistakes, and strive to correct them. I may never see you as my king, but I still see you as a king." At that moment, Medea entered, and Loki asked, "Is Sakura all right?"

"Yes, insomuch as she can be," the former Princess of Colchis said. "Do we have a plan yet?"

"Only in the broadest of strokes: hit Kiritsugu Emiya where it hurts. Attacking him in a full-frontal assault is foolish, especially if he's still in alliance with that Macedonian moron. Iskandar's Reality Marble is dangerous to say the least."

"So too is Sir Lancelot," Arturia pointed out. "Leaving aside his knowledge of my ability…he may possess Arondight, which is strong against dragons, and those who have such an attribute…like myself."

"Lancelot seemed perfectly matched against Gilgamesh," Medea mused. "If he is still allied with Iskandar, the Magus Killer might launch an attack on Tokiomi. With both Lancelot and Iskandar on his side, he has a numerical advantage, and a power that might match Gilgamesh's. I say might. My information on the Servants and their Noble Phantasms is incomplete, and I wouldn't be surprised if Gilgamesh has a trump card."

"I would not be surprised either," Arturia said. "You believe Kiritsugu may consider an attack on Gilgamesh?"

"And Tokiomi," Medea said. "Normally, I would think the Magus Killer would merely kill Tokiomi, but Archers have the attribute of Independent Action, as you know, and would be able to remain in this world for a longer time than most Servants, long enough to find a new Master. Though I doubt Gilgamesh would assent to being the Servant of the Magus Killer."

"Kirei is another matter," Loki pointed out. "Gilgamesh admitted that he is interested in Kirei. And there's a small loose end. Lancer is dead, and I presume so too is his Master. What about Lord El-Melloi's fiancée?"

"I don't know. And you have a point. I'll see if I can find her, and ensure that Lord El-Melloi is dead. I can still track their traces of mana."

As Medea went over to the viewing crystal, Arturia sat down nearby. "Loki, do you think my Master would risk attacking us?"

"It's possible, but less likely. He knows your capabilities, and he knows Medea was able to steal you from me. He might believe that Medea could steal Lancelot from him. What's more, Ryuudou Temple has barriers against spirits from entering, save through the main entrance, meaning he would have to risk a full-frontal assault. That being said, if he is still allied with Iskandar, he may consider it worth the risk. The Ionian Hetairoi is a powerful trump card."

"It does have a weakness," Medea pointed out. "Reality Marbles can only last for a short period. They consume power in order to prevent Gaia from erasing their existence." Her eyes flickered over to Arturia. "And Excalibur would be powerful against an entire army, as would our magic. The key problem is Lancelot. If Kiritsugu uses him in tandem with Iskandar, we'd be hard-pressed to survive, but if Iskandar breaks off the alliance…"

Loki frowned. "Then perhaps we should have them play a game of 'let's you and him fight'." On their looks, he elucidated. "We need to find a way to set the Magus Killer and Lancelor against Tokiomi Tohsaka and Gilgamesh at the very least, if not against Iskandar as well, and then swoop in on the victor when they are tired. And yes, Arturia, I know, that is devious, dishonourable, underhanded and not at all compatible with your idea of chivalry, but let me make this very clear: Kiritsugu now views you as little more than an enemy to be defeated. He will force you to face Lancelot sooner or later. But I would prefer to get through this little ordeal with a minimal expenditure of effort, thought, and bloodshed."

"Even so…" Arturia began, before Loki took her shoulders gently.

"Arturia Pendragon, _listen to me_. I have grown sentimental, and I'm not sure whether I like or dislike it. You may think that I am coddling you, insulting your strength, that you are more than capable of fighting these foes. And you are correct, you are capable of fighting those foes. But there's still a very real chance of your defeat, your death. You may be resigned to that, but I…" Loki chuckled. "I do believe I have grown attached to you. Not as much as I have to Medea, but you…you have many of my brother's more annoying tendencies…and yet…you know how better to be a king. Iskandar may have had a point, that you were too inhuman…but you are at least willing to correct your mistakes. And one thing you need is someone willing to dirty his hands to keep yours clean."

"And you have two such people here," Medea concluded. "Arturia…while it may be hypocritical of me to discuss your fidelity to your men and your people given how my own myth turned out, Iskandar was not wrong. Personally, I think your principle of being a king, as a servant to their people, is a good one. But your obsession with chivalry, while admirable, was partly what drove your downfall. And while a king needs to hold themselves to a higher standard, there are other ways you could have dealt with some of the issues of Camelot and your disaffected knights."

"I intend to deal with those differently," Arturia said quietly. "But what does it say about me if I allow unjust and dishonourable acts to happen?"

"Arturia…while holding yourself to a higher standard in a war is admirable, Kiritsugu Emiya cares little for your chivalry and honour. He is a threat to you now, not a Master or an ally but a foe, every much as those who you fought to keep Camelot safe. Consider it this way: you, as a king, may fight for your people, but you also have people to fight for you. Allow us to fight for you, to stain our hands with dishonour to keep yours clean."

Arturia seemed to war with herself, before she said, "Yet another regret to add to the legion I have. Very well, but I will veto any plan that will harm innocent parties. Waver Velvet and Irisviel are amongst them."

"I intend to abduct Irisviel, but maybe not until later, perhaps not until I can engage in some misdirection. As Kiritsugu confirmed she is the Lesser Grail, I think she should remain in our possession. I think another target should be that Maiya woman. Target her, kill her, and Kiritsugu loses one of his key weapons. I don't think abducting her for leverage will do anything, but eliminating her will remove one of Kiritsugu's potential weapons from play," Loki said.

"I do not like that," Arturia said.

"Sadly, whether you like it or not is irrelevant, Arturia," Loki said quietly. The Saber Servant must have had, if not any camaraderie with Kiritsugu's assistant, then at least some small regard.

Medea pursed her lips. "I've found Sola-Ui. Thankfully, she's at the airport, awaiting a plane back to England. I can find no trace of her fiancée."

"One less thing to worry about, then," Loki mused. "We already have a litany of troubles to deal with. Medea…focus your viewing crystal on the Magus Killer. How he acts next, along with Iskandar, will determine our next course of action. If the Magus Killer decides to attack Gilgamesh, with or without Iskandar, then we will go and deal with the Maiya woman. And perhaps if we can, we can also take Irisviel into our custody."

"And if that isn't the case?" Medea asked. "If they intend to come our way?"

Loki chewed his lip pensively. "Well, I believe the humans have a phrase when a storm is coming: 'batten down the hatches'…"

 **CHAPTER 17 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, some more chinwagging between Loki, Medea, and Arturia, as they plan to bring about Kiritsugu's downfall.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Chrishargrave** **: I am aware of mellra's challenge, but it doesn't interest me enough to write a story involving it.**

 **Paxloria** **: No. But once he captured Irisviel, he will be. And he might just use that as a means to salt the wounds of the Magus Killer.**

 **Blinded in a bolthole** **: Loki's angry because he came to feel some regard for Kariya, and because Sakura witnessed it happening. He thinks that Kiritsugu is a moron pursuing a foolish wish, and who is willing to sink to any depths to obtain it. Okay, he's somewhat hypocritical, but he's also Loki. He's not the nicest of people. At best, he's Chaotic Good, but he's closer to Chaotic Neutral.**

 **YDdraigGoch94** **: Assuming Kiritsugu survives, we probably won't end up looking at the events of** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **, as the sequel (if one is written) will be based on** ** _The Avengers_** **. But Sakura will have every reason to hate Kiritsugu Emiya. Shirou, should Shirou be adopted by Kiritsugu, and Illya, will be other matters entirely.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	19. Chapter 18: Gods and Monsters

**CHAPTER 18:**

 **GODS AND MONSTERS**

Thor, his friends and his known family weren't the only ones watching the antics of Loki. In a dimension sealed off from all access (unless you happened to be a trolling vampire who could slip between dimensions), a dark-haired and dark-clad woman watched the proceedings herself, and chuckled. She was glad that she had access to popcorn. Midgard may have been full of foolish insects, but they were at least interesting with their culinary abilities.

Hela was the firstborn of Odin, and his hatchetman…or rather, hatchetwoman. Not that that meant much when he felt her ambitions exceeded her usefulness. She had brought him glory leading his armies…and this was her reward, written out of history and left to be forgotten in an oubliette between dimensions.

And yet, here she was, watching this admittedly very entertaining farce. Not so long ago, she was visited by a vampire. She could see something of what happened in Asgard, as her powers were tied to it, but she couldn't see specifics. She was aware that she had two siblings, one of her blood, the other of Frost Giant stock, but not much else besides. But she knew her father was afraid of someone called Zelretch. And now, she knew a little why, even if she wasn't actually afraid.

She very nearly killed the vampire on general principle when he first appeared in her prison. And his offer seemed laughable. But she listened anyway, if only out of boredom. It did get very boring, after all, locked away between dimensions. And when he showed her what had befallen her step-brother, well, she found herself intrigued.

Loki reminded her a little too much of her father, at least when Odin could be bothered to use honeyed words, lies that, while sweet when swallowed, left a bitter aftertaste. But at least he bothered to use his intelligence, something half of Asgard didn't do unless fighting was involved. And as much as Hela enjoyed fighting, relished bloodshed, and revelled in killing, she also knew that a sharp mind and a silver tongue were often the most potent weapons of all.

She didn't know why Zelretch had given her this, though she suspected it was to alleviate her boredom and his own. He had to know that she had a grudge against Asgard and her kin, one that could not simply be alleviated by watching one of them in action while playing with humans in a petty little tournament.

Still, maybe she would spare her adoptive brother when she finally broke free of this place. He might prove amusing enough, providing she kept an eye out for a dagger poised to be thrust into her back…

* * *

Kirei Kotomine frowned when he got the report from his mentor once he returned to the church. "Are you telling me that the Magus Killer has killed the Master of Berserker and made a pact with that Servant?" he asked.

" _Indeed_ ," Tokiomi said via the communications device in the church. " _I've been keeping an eye on Kariya for some time via my familiars. I know that he coveted Aoi. However, given what I have learned about Sakura's fate…I misjudged him badly, I have to admit, and I am leaving a letter to Aoi in case I don't prevail. He deserved a far better end than being murdered by the Magus Killer in such a ignominious manner, and his Servant stolen from him. I couldn't send my familiars to Ryuudou Temple, though. What did you and Loki speak of?_ "

"Mostly Kariya's fate." Kirei didn't elaborate any further. It was none of Tokiomi's business, as far as he was concerned. "More importantly, the Magus Killer once more has a Servant. One that has abilities that can match Archer, and one who has a grudge against Saber. And if he remains in alliance with Rider and his Master…"

" _Indeed. We already had Caster and Saber to deal with under Loki. As strong as Archer is, an alliance of two Servants against him is troublesome. Especially one with such a powerful Reality Marble as Rider has, or one with such an ability as Berserker does, to make any Noble Phantasm his own. Perhaps Archer could counter the Reality Marble with his own ultimate Noble Phantasm, but he seems loath to use it, save for worthy opponents. It depends entirely on whom the Magus Killer targets next, and whether the alliance between him and Rider and Waver Velvet lasts._ " After a moment, Tokiomi asked, " _Does Loki seem willing to enter into an alliance?_ "

"I doubt it. The man seems to be the sort to make someone suffer, in the same way as Zelretch would. However, he had some regard for Kariya, so he will at least be more ill-disposed towards the Magus Killer for the time being. I doubt that this would bring him into alliance with you, though, given his protectiveness towards Sakura."

A weary sigh from Tokiomi. " _So, it is a stalemate, dependent on what the Magus Killer or Waver Velvet does next. Or, at a stretch, Loki. I'd like you to remain in the church for now, Kirei. I am considering our next course of action._ "

"Understood."

* * *

Kirei made his way to his office, to find Gilgamesh, as was his wont to do of late, drinking from a glass of wine, pilfered from Kirei's cellars. "Well, an interesting development, isn't this?" Gilgamesh remarked.

"A rather disastrous one, considering that the Magus Killer now has a Servant once more," Kirei said.

"I would sneer at that mad dog, but that rabid beast has an aggravating ability to make my treasures his own when he puts his filthy hands on them," Gilgamesh said with a scowl. "A most annoying Noble Phantasm. I overheard my Master talking to you. Indeed, this is certainly the point where that gauche assassin needs to make his move a good one. After all, if he holds onto his alliance with the Master of that oaf Rider, his position is strengthened."

"And you are concerned that he may be able to vanquish you?"

"Of course not! Iskandar is most definitely a worthy foe to use Ea on, and if the mad dog gets caught up in it, then I suppose I will live with having to sully the Sword of Rupture with his blood. Not that I would tell Tokiomi that. He claims to know his station, but I know false deference when I see it, though his respect, out of fear of my power, is very real. I am personally more concerned about Loki, Caster and Saber, though concerned is not quite the right word."

"Then what is what you feel, Gilgamesh?"

"Well, for Saber, I must confess to a certain amount of desire for her, though I am as yet undecided as to whether she is truly worthy of my love, of being part of my coterie. Caster is another matter. Their ilk entrench themselves in their bases like cowards, though Medea of Colchis is certainly intriguing after a fashion. For one dubbed the Witch of Treachery, she seems to have adjusted to being the Servant of Loki, though perhaps they have found kindred spirits in deceit. I still am somewhat angry at Loki for his earlier insults, and yet, he also recognised, if not my full majesty, then my identity just from my favourite wine. He fascinates you, certainly. Why else would you visit him?"

"…He knows me rather better than my own father," Kirei admitted.

"Hmm. I daresay I do too, Kirei. You are so very interesting. My personal dilemma is, do I allow the Liesmith to influence you further? Or do I do more? I have to say, Loki's influence on you is most salutary. And that's partly what concerns me. A silver tongue can be as deadly a weapon as a Noble Phantasm, after all. And yet, his presence, aggravating though it is, makes things all the more interesting. Hence my dilemma. I am loathe to meddle with his meddling, meta-meddling if you will, in case the interesting things become less so. And yet, he has an agenda of his own, and while he does not wish for the Grail, his Servants desire it anyway, or at least Saber, and he certainly will make an effort to be the last man standing, which I cannot really countenance. After all, like Loki, I find a certain joy, schadenfreude I believe you call it these days, in being the bane of another's desire."

"In other words, you are worried about Loki's influence on me," Kirei said simply. "You don't know whether to let him continue or to take over…grooming me."

Gilgamesh scoffed. " _Groom_ you? You make me sound like one of those perverted priests your Church seems infested with, like maggots in a corpse. I like to think of this as cultivating you, allowing a flower to bloom. I had nothing but the best horticulturalists for the Hanging Gardens at home, to which all successors were but mere shadows. But your understanding is sound."

Kirei was silent on hearing this. After too long silent, Gilgamesh remarked, "No further comments? Well, seeing as both Loki and I have raised mirrors to see your true self, one that takes joy in suffering. So how do you feel about Kariya's death? No, don't answer that. Some part of you is sorry that you didn't get to do the deed yourself, or else sorry that he isn't suffering anymore."

No, that wasn't it. Oh, there were parts of him that were smiling at that, but most of those parts of him he didn't want to acknowledge were smiling at other things. "Actually, I am thinking that with Kariya's death, Zouken's humiliation is complete. His adopted heiress has been taken from him, as has the last of his corrupt line that could perform magic. And if Loki's words at that little conference you attended were correct, he is frozen, impotent, within his own mansion. That, and…never mind."

"Oh?" Gilgamesh peered at him, before his smirk deepened. "I see. Well, where you find your entertainment is not really my concern, as long as it is not at my expense. But…"

They were interrupted by a knocking on the door. "Kirei," Risei said, entering. "Tokiomi has an idea. If the Magus Killer and Waver Velvet are willing to countenance it, we may enter into an alliance to deal with Loki and his Servants. He has decided to retrieve Sakura, and deal with Loki for once and for all…"

* * *

"Wow, this is…different. Seriously, why haven't we done this sort of thing before?"

This question was asked by a man of indeterminate age, dressed in opulent, even garish robes. His lined face, framed by grey hair, and with a blue stripe down his chin, was a picture of delight and interest. This was the Grandmaster, one of the Elders of the Universe, and the ruler of the frankly shitty world of Sakaar. He was also an immoral douchebag who enjoyed pitting people against each other in gladiatorial contests to stave off his own ennui.

"Because it would require specialist equipment you won't be able to get easily," Zelretch said. He knew this was a risky gamble, showing the Grandmaster the Holy Grail War. In fact, it could go very well, or very badly. But then again, the chaos that entailed would be potentially worth it. That, and something else he had in mind. "But I can help."

"Well, you created this thing back at your place, so name your price. Well, name it within reason, obviously. Don't want to utterly bankrupt me or anything."

Zelretch nodded. Sakaar was at a nexus of wormholes, and the radiation around the event horizons of said wormholes would make for an even more potent energy source than the Fuyuki leylines. And there was rejigging the Grail system to work here, hopefully without all that von Einzbern Homunculus malarkey.

But he had something of a serious purpose here. He wanted to change events significantly here. A certain paramour of Death had designs on Earth, and the Tesseract, one of the Infinity Stones. This would be about the time where he would be grooming Loki to lead the Chitauri on a crusade to conquer Earth. It was a risky gamble, but if Thanos caught wind of the Grail…he might deem that an even more interesting object instead.

Of course, Thanos would probably send agents to win the Grail by hook or by crook. But Zelretch knew there were others here in this reality, and back home, he could count on. After all, it'd be amusing to see the likes of the Avengers fighting in their own form of the Holy Grail War…

 **CHAPTER 18 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Sorry about the wait. I needed more inspiration and figuring out where the plot needed to go next. Thankfully, it came not so long ago in the form of two things I watched: the remaining third or so of** ** _Fate/Zero_** **(and wow, what a trip that was), and** ** _Thor: Ragnarok_** **.**

 **While the interlude with Hela isn't really significant, more filler than anything which I MIGHT expand upon later, the interlude with Zelretch and the Grandmaster was an inspiration that came to me while trying to find something to bulk up the chapter. It also proved to be a solution, or at least a possible one, to a problem that I had been grappling with: how would I do my version of** ** _The Avengers_** **when I finally did the sequel? I was originally going to have Nebula in place of Loki, but that seemed…** ** _wrong_** **. Ronan or Korath might have been better choices theoretically, but they didn't sit right with me. They didn't quite have the same impact as Loki, IMO.**

 **But then, I thought…what if the Grandmaster somehow saw the Holy Grail War? He would** ** _definitely_** **want to do his own version. I decided to make it into Zelretch meddling in the MCU to his own ends, to try and scupper some of Thanos' plans.**

 **I'm also strongly considering making it like the Grail War in** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **, though I think three teams of seven Master/Servant pairs would be better than two. Loki, Medea and Arturia will definitely be on the same team, and I'm pretty sure that Arturia will become Steve Rogers' Servant. After all the crap Arturia goes through, being paired with Steve Rogers both as comrades and even possible lovers (something a lot of you have been suggesting) would be a nice change. Let's face it, the Captain America of the MCU is easily one of the nicest characters in the MCU. I also intend to bring in some of the characters from** ** _Guardians of the Galaxy_** **into that Grail War as well. Let's call it the Grandmaster Grail War for future reference.**

 **As for where this story will go more immediately, we will be basing part of it on the latter part of** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, in that Kiritsugu will be nominally allying with Tokiomi, and Kirei will be forced to choose where his loyalties lie.**

 **Review-answering time!** **DalkonCledwin** **: Arturia referred to Kiritsugu as her Master out of habit. As for the Gordius Wheel, it actually drove up the steps to Ryuudou.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	20. Chapter 19: Of Alliances, and the Making

**CHAPTER 19:**

 **OF ALLIANCES, AND THE MAKING AND BREAKING THEREOF**

Kirei listened to the negotiations with only half an ear as that Irisviel girl and Maiya negotiated with Tokiomi, Waver Velvet also present. Their Servants were elsewhere, as was the Magus Killer. Well, the Servants were just outside the church.

How boring. He had to admit, Gilgamesh had a point: Tokiomi was a tedious and tiresome man. Conservative to a fault, like all Magi, and frequently unwilling to listen to any opinion bar his own, unless said opinion caught his attention, like a magpie eyeing a shiny object. Oh, he was intelligent, and cared for his family, after his own fashion…but he also didn't seem to consider that Sakura might not want to go back to him. Instead, Sakura had become a prize to wrest from Loki's grasp, despite the fact that the girl was probably better off with the Frost Giant.

Kirei didn't think of it this way out of compassion. Rather, he considered this to be hypocrisy. He had seen this far too often in his role as an Executor of the Burial Agency, dealing with not only heretic Magi, but also with heresy within the Church. More than a few child molesters had been put paid to by Kirei's blades. Tokiomi was all too-willing to discard Sakura to the Matous, supposedly out of kindness, to avoid a dispute over the inheritance of the Magic Crest…but Kirei thought that if Tokiomi actually cared about Sakura's happiness, he would have applied his not inconsiderable intelligence to the matter, perhaps using Sakura to establish a branch family or something. Then again, if the Matous had been at all kind to her, that may not have been such a problem.

He realised that the subject of conversation had turned to him. Irisviel had brought up his little sojourn with Loki, and how that had resulted in the loss of Saber. Tokiomi and his father turned to him. "Is this true, Kirei?"

"I did not know that Caster had the ability to take a Servant from them, otherwise, I would have been more cautious," Kirei said bluntly. "However, I confronted this woman for a simple reason: what drives the Magus Killer? I could not discern that from mere reports or statistics or anecdotes from those who know of the man, but do not know him. I made no attempt to harm these women, and only learned of Saber being stolen afterwards." He looked over at his father, meeting his eyes. "I assented to being in this Grail War to discover myself. _Gnothi seauton_ , father(1). I thought I may find answers."

"And have you found them, son?"

"No…but I feel I am close. However, Kiritsugu Emiya does not have the answers I seek."

"Nonetheless, we cannot consider any alliance with you as long as Kirei Kotomine remains here," Irisviel was saying. "Our alliance is conditional on him leaving Fuyuki, if not Japan, by tomorrow morning."

Tokiomi shot Kirei a look, as if to say, _We'll discuss this later_ , before he returned his gaze to Irisviel. "Understood."

"I will leave the church tonight," Kirei said. "But I do not trust your husband to take potshots at me. I'm sure he is listening in on this conversation. Kiritsugu Emiya…how much pleasure did it give you to rob Sakura of the only member of the Matou family to give a damn about her? I hope that, if you manage to _rescue_ her from your former Servant and Loki and the Caster woman, you will look her in the eyes and tell her exactly what you did."

"Kirei, enough!" Tokiomi snapped.

Kirei shot Tokiomi a glare. " _No_ ," he said quietly and coldly. "Do you seriously believe the Magus Killer will honour any bargain you make with him? He desires peace for all humanity with the Grail, but has no idea of how it can be achieved. He doesn't care that he will leave many bodies and widows and orphans grieving in his wake. Then again…neither would I. But I at least **_try_** to be a better man than I already am. You," he said, pointing to Irisviel, "are a doll who has been seduced by a bloodsoaked killer's childish dream of redemption, something he thinks only the Grail can provide. You," he pointed to Waver, "want prestige because of Clock Tower being filled with nepotistic fools, and your ambition exceeds your ability. And you," he looked over at Tokiomi, "you used me and my Servant as tools to assure your victory. And for what? Akasha? Or Heaven's Feel? Why didn't you consider wishing for the happiness of yourself and your family? That your daughters wouldn't need to be separated? No, the duty of a Magus exceeds trivial concerns like _family_. I may be less than human…but I am better than most of those present." He turned to his father as his former teacher gaped at him. "By your leave."

Risei, shocked, nodded, and Kirei left, preparing to pack his bags. Unexpectedly, Risei followed him. "What was with that outburst, my son?" Risei asked as they entered Kirei's room.

Kirei kept packing as he spoke. "Father…as much as it pains you to learn, I am sure…I am not a normal human. I am a monster. A psychopath born."

"What? But I…"

"Yes, you raised me _very_ well. Do you understand the great paradox of my existence? Suffering is enjoyable to me, and yet, you instilled enough of a moral compass in me for me to realise that that is sinful. I only assented to this…this _farce_ because I thought I would get answers to my existence, as to what sort of deity or world would allow my existence. I've never killed outside of my duty as an Executor…but...Claudia knew. That was part of the reason she took her own life. I thought Kiritsugu Emiya held the answers I sought, father…but he is a man who makes himself a monster deliberately, in the name of the greater good. Can you imagine what'd happen to the world if the Grail did grant him his desire for peace?"

"…Did Loki give you answers?" Risei asked, apparently trying to distract himself from the revelations he had heard.

"Some. Not all," Kirei said. "Father…Sakura is happy with him. I may enjoy the sight of suffering, but it does not mean I truly desire it to happen. What do you think Sakura will do when Tokiomi tries to take her back? Welcome him with open arms? Play Happy Families? He discarded her like trash to that old worm Matou, and even when he had learned the truth, about why Kariya became a Master…he doesn't care. How long before Sakura is pimped out to another Magus family? I may not be Father of the Year material, but I know my strengths and weaknesses, and parenthood is not a strength of mine. Hence why Caren is being raised by my in-laws."

"…Where did I go wrong?" Risei asked almost plaintively.

Kirei shot his father a look that could be considered sympathetic. He knew how to fake such things. But he did pity his father somewhat. " _You_ did nothing wrong as far as I was concerned. Take what comfort you can from that, father. Even though you are, in a manner, the author of my torment…I cannot blame you." He closed his eyes. "But…Sakura seems happy with Loki, father. And while I acknowledge that I enjoy suffering, I despise stupidity as well. Sakura will not come back to Tokiomi willingly, not after he condemned her, even in ignorance, to a hell filled with Crest Worms. And yet, when I saw Tokiomi intending to retrieve the daughter he disowned, I saw not a concerned father, but a Magus whose pride had been wounded. I may have the excuse of being a monster, father…but you're helping a man who would most likely pimp out his daughter once more. For a chance to witness the miracle that is the Grail? You're the better man out of everyone here. Then again, it's funny how the desire for ultimate power loosens the moralities of those desiring it."

He continued packing. Eventually, his father left, the door closing behind him. Then, he heard a clapping noise. "Bravo," Gilgamesh said, clapping. "What a performance. Though I find it odd that you were moralising, despite the fact that you have no actual morals, save for what your father taught you."

"Psychological warfare," Kirei said bluntly. "I admit, what I told my father was motivated out of the regard I have for the man. I may wish to kill him myself…but he is still the man who raised me. But then again, I have to admit…there was more truth to this tirade than I realised. I despise these fools, scrabbling for their pathway to Akasha for petty reasons. But I also realised something…this alliance will not last, even if they vanquish Loki. The moment Loki, or at least his Servants, are defeated, they will turn on each other." A smile touched his lips. "That will keep me warm at night."

"And you really intend to leave Fuyuki?" Gilgamesh asked. "Just when your answers are within reach?"

"Of course not. I don't care one whit about Tokiomi's honour, or at least his pretence of it," Kirei scoffed. "You know he fakes his deference to you in order to keep you under control?"

"As long as his pretence has a certain air of verisimilitude, I will tolerate it, for now," Gilgamesh said.

Kirei smirked, because he had a trump card to give to Gilgamesh, one he had been holding on to, out of his misguided loyalty to Tokiomi. "Oh? Did you know the true purpose of the Command Seals? They're more than a mere riding crop, meant to spur you into doing as your Master wills. Six Servants may be needed to prime the Grail to grant wishes…but all seven are needed for the Grail to act as a pathway to Akasha."

Interestingly, Gilgamesh didn't show any real shock when he realised the implication, that Tokiomi intended to force him to commit suicide in order to reach the Root. The only overt signs of surprise were a brief widening, and then hardening of the ancient king's crimson eyes. "I see. And why did you tell me that piece of information? Knowing what you are, it cannot have been out of altruism. Has the Liesmith been an even greater influence on you than I thought?"

"The truth is a more dangerous and painful weapon than a lie," Kirei said. "And perhaps I have acquired Loki's enjoyment of sowing discord. And exposing the lies of others as opposed to telling those of your own feels…satisfying. I am a man of the cloth, after all, and to lie is a sin."

After a moment, Gilgamesh burst out laughing. "What a jest! What a farce! So, it seems you will be taking the Liesmith's side after all! What a waste! And yet…something inside of me is content. Still, the option is still there, Kirei. If you sever my Master's contract by killing him, I will gladly make a new contract with you. You are, after all, a more interesting prospect than Tokiomi."

Kirei shook his head. "A tempting offer, to be sure…but I don't need the Grail for my answers, for my _raison d'etre_. Besides, I don't think you wish to work alongside Loki. All the same…thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty."

"I accept your gratitude, and return it with my own. Without you, this Grail War would have been tedious beyond my ability to tolerate," Gilgamesh said. "Still…if you do this, and defect to Loki's side, I will have to kill you when we next meet. I will regret doing so, but I will."

"You can try. I promise to make it entertaining for you," Kirei said, as he took his suitcase. "However, before you do so…at least allow me the undeniable pleasure of ending the life of the Magus Killer first. Or at least allowing him to see his dreams to crumble into ashes…before I give him permission to die."

"I will consider it," Gilgamesh said magnanimously…

* * *

Medea peered at the viewing crystal in her Workshop. "Hmm, it seems that we have to expect an invasion of three Masters and their Servants," she said.

Loki looked at the image, showing the exterior of the Kotomine church. Iskandar was present, looking rather put out at being left outside, so he was thumbing through a copy of the Iliad. "I only see one Servant."

"I saw the arrival of Irisviel and that female offsider of the Magus Killer's. Presumably Berserker is Astralized," Medea said. "The Magus Killer seems to be nowhere near this place…which could be a good thing. When they head back, I may be able to intercept them, kill the woman and take Irisviel. Having the Lesser Grail in our possession may help. It might also make Emiya less rational, and easier to defeat. Desperate men may do desperate things, and it may fracture the alliance they have."

"Good. It may turn out bad…but I want to see Kiritsugu Emiya suffer and squirm. The Waver Velvet boy, I intend to spare…but Tokiomi and Kiritsugu, I intend to see suffer. How are we going to stop them, though?"

"Arturia will distract the Servants long enough for me to target one of them or one of the Masters for attack with Rule Breaker. I intend to then use their Command Seals to force them to kill the other Servants, save for myself and Arturia…and then have them commit suicide. I'm considering whether it should be Gilgamesh or Iskandar. Judging by what happened at the docks, Tokiomi may have already used a Command Seal, and I'd probably need all three to do this. Iskandar is a better prospect: his Master is the weakest link. In addition, his Reality Marble…"

"Hmm. But let's not count our chickens before they've hatched. I'll let you figure out how to entrap the Magus Killer's two women. Incidentally, the ritual?"

Medea smiled, and then handed him a vial from a nearby shelf. "Not just a ritual that will convert the Crest Worms in her body into a proper Magic Crest…but a form of blood adoption. When she drinks this, she will have traits from both of us."

"Both of us?" Loki asked, surprised.

"Yes. I believe the girl has grown on me," Medea said. "I took some samples from you discreetly. Even if our partnership does not live beyond this Grail War, or indeed we ourselves, Sakura will be our child. True, not one born of love…but we share another thing now, the affection for this girl. She will be one step away from the blood of both the one who discarded her, and the one who violated her with those vile worms."

Loki, after a moment, smiled at the thought. It wasn't a wholly malicious smile, having a hint of warmth in it. "My dear Medea…is this a proposal? My, my, I don't think we have truly courted each other yet."

Medea scoffed, though the faint blush was telling. "We are betrayers and betrayed both," she remarked sardonically. "We're made for each other."

Loki's smile became rueful, a little bitter, but more sad. "…Perhaps. In any case, I have an idea. I was surprised when I realised I could use the power of the Casket of Ancient Winters here in this world. But still, I think the power can be transferred between those of Frost Giant blood. In fact, I have an idea that might end up being a trump card…as long as Sakura is willing…"

 **CHAPTER 19 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **It took a while to come up with this chapter, but hopefully (no promises, though), I'm over the hump for now. And sorry about the lack of Loki and Medea in the last couple of chapters. I tried to rectify that.**

 **Now, I'm sure more than a few people will think that Kirei was somewhat OOC in this chapter. Keep in mind, he has been changing somewhat due to Loki's influence, as well as Gilgamesh's. And Irisviel's revelation to Tokiomi, and Tokiomi agreeing to her terms, sort of was the last straw. It's less that he hates Tokiomi and more that he feels that his former teacher can help him no longer. And unlike** ** _Fate/Zero_** **canon, he doesn't backstab him, or at least not in the most literal sense. Much of that speech, while it was Kirei's frustrations talking, was also calculated to sow discord, and this was also why Kirei told Gilgamesh about the Command Seals, as Kirei himself pointed out. The reason why he doesn't take up Gilgamesh's offer is that he has no reason to fight for the Grail anymore. However, fighting to spite Kiritsugu and Tokiomi are other matters entirely. Gilgamesh would gladly allow Kirei to kill Tokiomi out of spite.**

 **For his father, it was a little different. It was a bit of a confessional, but also a means of breaking ties with his father. Kirei knows he may die, and even if he doesn't, he's strongly considering going with Loki and Medea, even if he doesn't consciously realise it. I certainly only made the decision when I did this chapter. Yes, Kirei Kotomine will be heading to the MCU. It's Brown Trousers Time. I view him as a more villainous version of Kerr Avon from** ** _Blake's 7_** **, only with a little less snark.**

 **The next chapter will have a confrontation familiar to those who have watched** ** _Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works_** **…and Sakura gaining a new heritage…**

 **Anyway, preliminary (and incomplete, especially where Servants are concerned) team rosters for the sequel, the Grandmaster's Grail War…**

 **TEAM AVENGERS**

 **Loki: Caster (Medea), Steve Rogers: Saber (Arturia), Kirei Kotomine, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner: Berserker (Frankenstein's Monster), Thor, Nastasha Romanoff**

 **TEAM THANOS**

 **Thanos, Nebula, Gamora, Ronan, Red Skull**

 **TEAM GRANDMASTER**

 **Peter Quill, Yondu Udonta, Rocket, Groot, Drax, Valkyrie, Mantis**

 **I'm definitely including the following Servants from** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **and** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **: Archer (EMIYA), Assassin of Black (Jack the Ripper), Saber of Red (Mordred), Lancer (Cu Chulainn), Berserker (Heracles), and Rider (Medusa). I might even bring back Diarmuid. He deserves a better Master than Lord El-Melloi…**

 **Oh, and before I get onto the review-answering, a few things. Firstly, this story finally has an entry on TV Tropes, in the 'Real Dreams are Weirder' page. However, I would like the writer of that segment, who registered as Gaby007, to please note that the joke about Irisviel climaxing as she drove came from** ** _Fate/Cero_** **. As much as I'd like to claim credit on that joke, I can't. Thank you anyway for the entry.**

 **Secondly, a few recommendations. If you're hungry for more Marvel action, then Mr Chaos'** ** _A Song of Ice and Fire_** **crossovers** ** _A Man of Iron_** **and** ** _A Clap of Thunder_** **may be your cup of tea. I also recommend the recently-started** ** _Dreams and Wonders_** **by Jean11089, a promising Steve/Nastasha-centric story, still in its early stages, but like I said, promising. And for Nasuverse fans…well, I recently began another Medea-centric fic, set in the Potterverse, called** ** _Separated at Birth_** **. The pairing is, you guessed it, Harry/Medea.**

 **Review-answering time!** **CrafterofTales** **: You know, that's a very interesting question, but sadly, Sakura, AFAIK, is much younger that Peter would be at this stage. She's about six, and Peter, AFAIK, is at least some years older than her. Becoming just friends, or a little sister figure, to Peter is still a possibility.**

 **Leicontis** **: I currently intend only Nasuverse Servants, but I may draw upon others.**

 **Amelia831** **: As you can tell from the above, the Grandmaster is in charge of his own faction, a group of mercenaries he has basically contacted through a cutout (or hired directly as with Valkyrie) and told them to win the Grail. They're basically most of the members of what would become the Guardians of the Galaxy, save for Gamora, who is still with Thanos at this point.**

 **PikaMew1288** **: Sadly, not going to happen, not with Gilgamesh. Hela may end up with Thanos' faction, though, I'm still undecided.**

 **Evowizard25** **: I'll be honest, I actually enjoy Iskandar as a character. But while he has a point in how he chews out Arturia, I still think he could have put it better. Arturia, for all her ruthlessness as a king, still cared about her knights, and I'd like to think that ensuring they didn't die in the first place was one of her motivations to seek the Grail. I think her second wish is even more stupid than the first one. My relatively gentle bashing of him is meant as an antidote to the Arturia-bashing I saw in many of sakurademonalchemist's fics. I want to point out that Iskandar is not wholly right, nor does he have a right to be so self-righteous, given how he goes on about 'conquest without humiliation', but I doubt he would have been able to stop that.**

 **1\. Greek for 'know thyself'.**


	21. Chapter 20: Adoption and Abduction

**CHAPTER 20:**

 **ADOPTION AND ABDUCTION**

Loki walked into the room where Sakura was being kept. She was talking with Arturia about something as she sat on the futon acting as her bed. "…wish I had thought more about Mordred, and what she desired. True, Mordred was not worthy to be King, but…" Arturia looked up at Loki as he entered. "Loki?"

"We're bringing in Irisviel soon," Loki said. "Your former Master has decided to team up with the Masters of Archer and Rider. But before they come…I have something important to do."

Trying to keep her mind off what was happening, Arturia noted the potion in his hand. "What is that?"

"A rather sophisticated bit of magecraft, designed as a combination of blood adoption ritual for both myself and Medea…as well as a means of converting the Crest Worms into a normal Magic Crest."

"…Will it hurt?" Sakura asked.

"Medea didn't say," Loki said. "Perhaps it will. But the best medicine is always bitter. You were born a Tohsaka…changed in part into a Matou…but with this, you will become the daughter of Medea and myself."

After a moment, Sakura reached for the vial. She drank it without hesitation, making a face, before lying down. Soon, she began to shiver and convulse, gritting her teeth in pain. "She does this so readily," Arturia mused, looking at Sakura in concern. "She is too used to pain for one so young. Will this kill her?"

"If Medea has the same amount of concern for Sakura as I do, then no," Loki said.

Arturia, in lieu of something else to do, gently gripped Sakura's hand, kneeling down to do so. As Sakura writhed and spasmed, Arturia said softly, "Loki…if you continue on this course, you will deprive another girl of her parents. I speak not of Sakura…but of Illyasviel."

"The Magus Killer's daughter," Loki said. He met Arturia's emerald gaze with his own. "And? If Irisviel is the Lesser Grail, then Illyasviel was always going to lose her mother. And there was always a possibility that Kiritsugu would die in this Grail War, long before I got involved and he roused my ire. I support you and your wish because you at least acknowledge your own flaws, and wish to correct them yourself, using the Grail to go back in time. But the Magus Killer…he had no qualms about depriving Sakura of her uncle, the only person who has shown her any real love."

"I agree, Loki, and that is part of why I oppose him now. He not only slew a good man out of no reason than sheer opportunism, but he has now suborned my old comrade to his cause. But…how can you have mercy for one child, and not for another?"

"Because Sakura didn't have family that cared for her," Loki retorted. "But Illyasviel has a larger family than her father and mother. They may look after her."

"What if you are wrong, Loki?" Arturia said quietly. "Irisviel is the Lesser Grail…but if any of it can be passed down from mother to child…would you not be condemning Illyasviel to the same fate?"

Loki hadn't considered that. For a time, he was silent. Finally, he said, "Then if that is the case, I will retrieve her. But I cannot save every wayward child in the world. To want to do so is to be as insane as the Magus Killer…"

* * *

In another universe, a beautiful Archer with animal ears suddenly sneezed twice, and blinked. Huh? _What was that all about?_ Atalanta thought to herself. _And why do I get the feeling that Medea is involved somehow?_

* * *

Medea smirked to herself as the car driven by Maiya and Irisviel fell into the trap, a magical barrier creating a simulacrum, of sorts, of reality around the main bridge, filled with mist, and watery versions of her Dragon Tooth Warriors. And as she had hoped, Berserker wasn't in here. Which meant that she could get to work.

As Maiya desperately beat back the watery golems attacking her, Irisviel was trying to use her own techniques, transforming her hair into glowing wireframe birds that attacked. An impressive use of magecraft, at least for this diminished era.

Medea then tried something else. As Maiya attacked her foes, she didn't notice the magic threads Medea had extruded, not until they pierced her skin, and made her a helpless puppet under her command. Her willpower was admirable, and it would have worked better had she been asleep, but Medea was better and stronger. Maiya raised a handgun to her temple, gradually, slowly, Irisviel realising what had happened in time for Maiya to begin squeezing the trigger. "Maiya, stop!" she screamed.

Maiya didn't heed her. But Medea manipulated the threads to have Maiya look up at her, to let her know precisely who was killing her. Maiya's eyes narrowed, and her mouth opened to try and deliver one last defiant sentence…only for the gun to bark in her hands, sending the contents of her skull splattering all over the mangled bridge they had been fighting. Cruel, true, but Medea was cruel.

As the body slumped, Medea retracted the threads in a hurry, and fired off two beams of energy at the hair golems. Irisviel was flung back by the blast, and as she lay there, dazed, Medea swooped in, and grabbed her. "Why?" Irisviel asked quietly.

"Why am I taking you? Because you are the Lesser Grail, Irisviel. Why did I kill that woman? To send a message to your husband. This is the beginning of the end of his dream…"

* * *

When Kiritsugu finally came onto the scene in his own car, he found the car abandoned, wrecked, surrounded by puddles on a seemingly immaculate bridge. But Berserker had reported, in his way, a magical barrier. And he found one body, but not two.

He found Maiya, half of her head now gone in a gory mess, sprawled on the ground, her handgun still in hand, coated in her lifeblood. Kiritsugu felt a swell of rage within him: Maiya may have been a tool, and they had both accepted that that was her role in this, but he also cared about her more than he cared to admit. And, of course, Iri was missing too.

"Iri?" he called out, hoping for an answer. "IRI?! IRI, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"In all likelihood, she is with Loki and Caster."

The deep, resonant tone of Kirei Kotomine caused Kiritsugu to whirl and aim his Thompson Contender at the Executor, who was getting off a bike, only for the man to coldly sneer, "Put that thing away. I was not responsible for her fate."

Kiritsugu nearly ordered Berserker to Deastralize and tear the sadistic priest apart. Instead, he bit out, "Convenient that you ended up here shortly after my wife was kidnapped, and my assistant murdered."

"Coincidence, sadly. I would love to tell you that I did the deed myself, Magus Killer, just to see the anguish and despair on your face increase a hundredfold…but I did not," the priest said, stepping forward on the starlit bridge. "I wonder…would you kill me anyway? You know what I am, just as I know what you are. We may not be identical, Kiritsugu Emiya, but we're both monsters in the service of the Greater Good. Inverse images of each other. Will you kill me because we're too alike? Or the insults I gave you and your Homunculus wife? Or will it simply be because you got too angry, and fired at me because you needed to take out your anger on something?"

With an effort, Kiritsugu lowered his gun. "No…I will not kill for the sake of mere killing. I do not take pleasure in killing."

"Then why become the Magus Killer?" Kirei asked, his head tilting in a quizzical fashion. "I read your files…of what your father did on Alimango Island, his research into creating Dead Apostles, of your apprenticeship under Natalia Kaminski, of the work you did for Clock Tower and for more mundane organisations…but they are cold, clinical facts. I want to get to the heart of what made Kiritsugu Emiya into the Magus Killer."

"That's none of your business."

"Indulge me."

Kiritsugu shook his head. How could a monster like Kirei understand? About the remark he made to Shirley about wanting to become a hero? "I have no time to indulge your curiosity. My wife has been kidnapped. My assistant murdered. And you want to waste my time discussing my motives?"

"I personally think you're wasting your time in your desire for the Grail, Magus Killer," Kirei said. "In a way, so was I…except I discovered my true self, or rather, I opened my eyes to the truth. I may detest it, despise it, but I at least acknowledge that I am a monster. And a hero slays monsters, does it not? Indeed, a hero needs a monster, a villain, to define themselves…for what are they without them? What will you do when you gain the peace you search for, Emiya? Will the Grail remove the memories of your many sins? Or will they still be there, as you live happily ever after with your family? You would be a hero without a cause, instead of a hero without cease. Pitiful."

Kiritsugu nearly shot Kirei then and there, but refused to rise to the priest's baiting. "When I win this…I will take in Sakura. Even if I have to endure her hatred for killing Kariya, I would gladly do so."

"You count your chickens before they hatch, Magus Killer," Kirei said. "You are fighting for an ideal that will never be fulfilled in its entirety…but Loki and Caster are fighting to safeguard that girl. I wonder…does that make you the hero, or the villain?" With that parting shot, Kirei walked back to his bike, and began pedalling away. It was all Kiritsugu could do not to shoot the priest in the back, or order Berserker to attack.

It was all he could do, too, not to charge up to Ryuudou Temple and launch an assault now. Instead, he had to wait until Tokiomi Tohsaka and Waver Velvet were ready.

Speaking of which, he heard Iskandar's chariot coming up to him. "Magus Killer!" boomed the redheaded conqueror. "What happened?"

"…Caster and Loki…they have my wife, and they have killed Maiya," Kiritsugu growled, his usual self-control shaken by the events of the past few days…and by this latest incident. "They will pay…"

* * *

A little way away, Kirei was pedalling his way to Ryuudou Temple, only to hear a sultry voice purr, "I saw your little exchange through my viewing crystal. I wonder…are you heading our way?"

Kirei looked over at Medea, and smiled. "Indeed. I said back in the church that I was no longer fighting for the Grail…but I have no intention of finishing the fight. I want to learn more from your Master…and to make both Emiya and Tokiomi suffer."

Medea seemed to consider this, before she smiled. She grabbed hold of him, and in a swirl of robes…

* * *

…They were somewhere else. Namely, Ryuudou Temple.

"Where's the Magus Killer's woman?" Kirei asked, getting off his bike.

"Safe and asleep," Medea said, striding off. Kirei soon followed. "At the moment, my greater concern is Sakura. I left Loki with a special potion designed to mutate her Crest Worms into a proper Magic Crest…as well as give her attributes from myself and Loki. She will be our daughter, at least partially."

"A Frost Giant and a Magus from the Age of the Gods…the mind boggles," Kirei remarked, trying to hide his shock. "In effect, that would make her a demigod to a degree."

"From what I understand, Loki's people are more like extremely strong aliens, but they are not far from gods. In any case…you intend to ally yourself with us?"

"I told you why. I seek more answers, and a pound of flesh apiece from Tokiomi and Emiya. I do not seek the Grail…"

* * *

Finally, Sakura stopped her convulsions, and then opened her eyes, to find Loki and Arturia looking down at her, both with a sense of relief. "Did…did it work?" she asked.

Loki smiled. Sakura now had his hair, long and dark, but with a light purple streak that put him in mind of Medea. Her eyes were now Medea's too. Her ears had a slight point, not as noticeable as Medea's, but certainly enough to be noticeable. Her face had become a bit more like Loki's, albeit without losing her features, just a little leaner.

Her skin, however, was a light blue. Loki was reminded of when he first learned of his heritage, how it changed. While he hoped to ensure that she didn't need to hide herself, he gently weaved an illusion, causing her skin to become a normal human colouration.

"It worked," Loki said gently, touching her cheek. "Sakura Lokidottir, daughter of Loki Odinson…and Medea of Colchis. A goddess amongst humanity…"

 **CHAPTER 20 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Irisviel's been abducted, Sakura's become part-Frost Giant and part-demigod, and Kiritsugu and Kirei have had a clash of philosophies. They never really spoke in** ** _Fate/Zero_** **canon, just got to fighting. I wonder if it would have been something like what happened above?**

 **The next chapter may be a while (hopefully not as long as the gap between Chapters 18 and 19), but it will basically be the calm before the storm.**

 **Basically, what Medea did to Irisviel and Maiya is what she did to Shirou, Rin and Arturia in Episode 12 of** ** _Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works_** **…as well as using that puppeteering thread she used on Shirou in Episode 6. I find it a shame that I had only watched those episodes recently, as those abilities are pretty handy.**

 **Wow. Over a thousand favourites now.**

 **Anyway, before I get onto answering the reviews, I thought I'd give a shoutout to a story I've recently posted the first chapter of in** ** _Quatermass' Compost Heap_** **, which is a crossover between** ** _Sekirei_** **, and my first venture into a property, like Marvel, has recently been acquired by Disney. Namely** ** _Star Wars_** **. It's called** ** _Spreading Wings_** **.**

 **Review-answering time! I've noted a lot of people giving me praise for Kirei's little tirade in the previous chapter. Thank you. I hoped I got it in character, and I basically heard Crispin Freeman speaking it (yeah, I know, some people heard Johji Nakata, but I tend to watch dubs rather than subs).**

 **Monkeyman9835** **: Actually, I'd completely overlooked him. I might have him in the Grandmaster's team instead of Mantis. I didn't mind him in** ** _Thor: Ragnarok_** **, and even thought the Kiwi accent endearing, though a friend who watched the film with me disagreed.**

 **SotF** **: I'm staying with the classic seven Servants, as adorable as Mash is.**

 **HolyKnight5** **: Maybe, if it was a full blood adoption. As it is, Sakura still retains some of Tokiomi and Aoi's genes. But yeah, you have a point.**

 **Astrobot1745** **: Shirou and Illya won't be going with Loki. You'll see why when the time comes.**

 **Terumi Gremory** **: While I'm glad you enjoyed my other stories, don't expect an update for** ** _Ex Umbra in Solem_** **or** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **in the near future. I have a nearly-finished chapter of** ** _Separated at Birth_** **, but my muse has gone quiet on that one for now. I must reiterate that you do not ask for updates to specific stories, as that will not get me to update faster.**

 **Zistonian Battle Sign** **: No, he hasn't. I might give him a cameo later. I never thought of that.**

 **Harmonious Arkos Sloth** **: …Adorable cinnamon roll? Yeah, sure, one that takes your soul to feed on. Though if she wasn't reliant on feeding on souls for mana, who knows what they would have been like? Oh wait. Look at** ** _Carnival Phantasm_** **.**

 **Guest** **(regarding the Servant lineup for the sequel): Nothing's set in stone, and I'm NOT giving Mordred to anyone on Team Thanos…except maybe Nebula or Gamora. However, your idea of Cu Chulainn going to Thor is a great one. Dunno about Diarmuid, but I want to throw the poor guy a bone, give him to…well, Valkyrie is as good a choice as any, I suppose.**

 **OBSERVER01** **: He isn't really per se, but he has a point. Especially about the Magus Killer and Tokiomi.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	22. Chapter 21: The Calm Before the Storm

**CHAPTER 21:**

 **THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM**

Risei watched as the man he had thought a friend came back, having gone to visit his wife and daughter before he went on this. Risei knew that his son's words were hurtful, and missed much of the good he saw in Tokiomi…but alas, his son had a point. And had been a monster for a long time.

Risei didn't despair, not at that. His son had made it very clear that Risei was not the one at fault in raising Kirei. It seemed that his son, despite his character, had some small scrap of kindness, or whatever passed for it in his bleak soul. Still, his tirade against the Masters, including Tokiomi, had been shocking, even though Kirei had not even raised his voice. And his son had told, if not the whole truth, then some fairly harsh truths. He found it hard to even look at Tokiomi now.

And there was more disturbing news to come. He had just gotten off the phone from the Magus Killer. "Tokiomi," Risei said quietly. "The Magus Killer contacted me. Caster has kidnapped Irisviel von Einzbern and killed Maiya Hisau."

Tokiomi frowned. "He intends to hold the Magus Killer's wife hostage? No…maybe the rumours I heard about the Lesser Grail are true after all, that the von Einzberns have created a Homunculus to bear it. I wonder how Loki learned of it, then."

"Kirei told me that Loki was an associate of Zelretch," Risei said. "Even if Zelretch didn't tell him outright, Loki may have put some clues together for an educated guess."

"And with Ryuudou Temple being one of the possible sites for summoning the Grail…" Tokiomi murmured. "But why did Zelretch do this? If Loki is his agent, then why send him to interfere with the Grail War?"

"Who knows what goes through the Wizard Marshall's mind?" Risei said. "But I have to ask, Tokiomi…are you going to confront Loki because he is an enemy Master, or because he has Sakura?"

Tokiomi frowned. "Both."

"And what will you do with Sakura?"

After some thought, Tokiomi shook his head. "I don't know. But neither Loki nor your son had any right to criticise the way I handled the situation. I erred, I erred grievously in leaving Sakura with the Matous, and I regret that! But there is no other solution to that problem that does not involve bloodshed."

"And if she is happier with Loki?"

Tokiomi scoffed. "He influenced her with lies and half-truths, no doubt. She will be brought to heel."

Risei's eyes widened in horror. "Tokiomi, listen to yourself! She is a child, one who was left to Zouken Matou's not-so-tender mercies! Yes, you did not know about the Crest Worms, but that would already have her feeling resentment towards you! Should she see Loki die at your hand…I fear that she may even desire your death in revenge."

Tokiomi's usually urbane expression hardened. "And you expect me to show Loki mercy? He who has turned your son traitor? Who taunts me, _taunts me_ , with my own daughter?"

"Tokiomi, you effectively disowned Sakura the moment you adopted her out to the Matous!" Risei snapped. "As your friend and ally, I am counselling you about the potential consequences of your actions! Sakura may forgive Aoi and Rin…but I don't think she will ever forgive you. Loki is a powerful Magus, even if he is not a deity…and while I know Magi must walk hand in hand with death during their work, there is rushing suicidally headlong into perdition! Because if Loki or his Servants don't kill you…I fear Sakura will."

A brief flash of anger came over Tokiomi's features, before they fell, and he sagged onto a pew, putting his face in his hands, his composure cracking. "Aoi won't forgive me if I am forced to kill Sakura. Neither will Rin," he murmured. "But I will bear their hatred if need be. What concerns me is not just Loki's power…but the Magus Killer. Your son was not incorrect. Emiya doubtless has a contingency in place to deal with me the moment our alliance is over. I will need to be prepared for that. Especially with his wife and prize at stake."

"And what of Waver Velvet?"

"The boy is altogether too green, but he has spirit riding alongside Iskandar. Should he survive, I will help him gain the recognition he desires at Clock Tower. Who knows? Should I win the Grail, I may even let him research Akasha alongside me as a student. Besides, Lord El-Melloi, while a worthy opponent, was a fool to not consider the Magus Killer a danger." Tokiomi frowned. "Hmm…maybe the Archibalds may be amenable to adopting Sakura. Still, such considerations should wait until I win…"

* * *

Irisviel clawed her way out of unconsciousness with an effort, only to find herself tied to a chair. She was in a basement somewhere…with Kirei Kotomine standing guard, like a watchful guard dog. On noticing that she was awake, he said, before she could say anything, "In case you were wondering, I had little to do with your capture. I am just looking after you as a courtesy."

Irisviel tried hard not to panic, but when she realised she couldn't feel Avalon within her, that her body felt the power of the Grail beginning to degrade it, she felt that fear welling up inside her. Not at her fate, to become the Lesser Grail proper…but that they had found out. Kirei said, "It's strange how Caster found Saber's Noble Phantasm within you. It has been returned to its rightful owner. We need all the advantages we can get in the coming battle."

"So…you've aligned yourself with Loki and Caster," Irisviel said, sagging in her chair, resigned to being a prisoner for now. "Why? Why betray Tokiomi Tohsaka?"

Kirei approached Irisviel, something like pity dancing in his dark eyes. A condescending pity, true, but pity all the same. "It was my father who was loyal to the Tohsakas, not myself. I was startled to receive the Command Seals, Irisviel von Einzbern. I had no real desire for the Grail, no wish I could acknowledge that I wanted. Tokiomi trained me in magecraft, and wanted me to use Assassin to scout you all. I was willing to act as a tool as long as I gained answers to my existence. I am a monster, you see, like an inverse reflection of your lover. I was born a monster, while he made himself one. But I didn't know that at the time. I just saw the reports Tokiomi gave me about Emiya, and decided, he had the answers. But when you told me about him…I realised he didn't have the answers. To me, the suffering of others is pleasure, but my father raised me to believe that was sinful. Can you understand the paradox of my existence? My search for answers, of course, means little to Tokiomi. I was just a tool…just as you and the Hisau woman are Kiritsugu Emiya's."

"So, is this revenge against him?"

"Not exactly. I was more irritated than angered at being treated as a tool, as I have been the tool of the Burial Agency and other parts of the Church," Kirei said. "But the Grail War…it's a pathetic squabble between seven Magi, over a wish-granting cup. And for what? A path to the Root? What will they do with the knowledge they seek? Or perhaps your family's obsession with regaining Heaven's Feel…what will they do with it? Altruism is not in the Magus lexicon. It's an obsession with hoarding research and magical ability. Unlike science, which seeks to enlighten, or religion which, at its best, seeks to comfort and guide…magecraft turns in on itself, like the ouroboros eating its own tail, used for selfish ends. Metaphysical masturbation, done only to make yourselves feel good."

"That's not true!" Irisviel snapped. "Kiritsugu…he wants to use the Grail to achieve world peace, now and forever! And I share that dream! You said it was a childish dream, and yet…"

"It IS a childish dream," Kirei interrupted coldly. "Tell me…how would the Grail go about achieving this peace? Would it remove the need to be violent from every person? That would be no better than a lobotomy given to the entire human race. What about killing everyone on the planet? That'd certainly make Gaia happy, from what I understand. And killing is all Kiritsugu Emiya is good at. That you give him his love is surprising, but given how naïve a sheltered doll created by the von Einzberns must be…"

"And who could love you?" Irisviel retorted.

"I had a wife myself once. Claudia Hortensia. Unfortunately, she suffered from a terminal illness. At the time she was ill, I considered killing myself, but she beat me to the punch. She knew what kind of monster I was, but as I watched her die with horror, her last words were that she knew I loved her from my reaction. In truth…I wanted to end her life myself. Do you understand how disturbing that was, to know that? Unlike your lover, I do not wish to be a monster. Or rather, I did. Now…I find myself actually enjoying suffering more. Not anything as pedestrian as physical suffering, but that of the mind and the soul. Though to tell the truth, it is not you I wish to make suffer. It is your husband. I want to crush his dream right in front of him. And then, I will continue to find answers in my own way, even if it's under Loki's aegis."

"My, my, I think I feel my ears burning," came a familiar voice, as Loki walked in. He looked at Kirei. "I'd like to speak to our guest alone, Kirei, if you don't mind."

The Japanese priest nodded, and left. Then, Loki walked over to Irisviel, gently touching her cheek. "Your fate is a rather sad one," he said. "You were created for a singular purpose, to become the vessel for the Holy Grail. The von Einzberns were cruel, making you into such a beautiful woman, only to make you turn into a gaudy piece of drinkware. Sadly, given my plans, it's inevitable that you will become the Grail. Burdened with glorious purpose," he concluded, spitting out the phrase like it was venomous.

"…What will you do with the Grail?" Irisviel asked.

"Hmm…if I can get the wish with only five Servants priming it, I'm more than willing to allow Caster and Saber to share. The wishes I want, I can get with my own effort. Like depriving Kiritsugu Emiya of his pride, his joy in life, his dream, and then his life. Maybe it's childish. It's happened to me very recently, and the Magus Killer is merely a handy scapegoat to take it out on. And yet…how much evil has he done to serve good? I'll admit…I am not a good person. Once, I thought myself a prince, perhaps a king one day…but my own dreams were shattered. And when I thought I would grant the wishes of my father…he renounced me. But…I want to be better now. I want to become better, strive to be. But if your husband is going to help Tokiomi Tohsaka take back the daughter he does not deserve…then I will destroy him. After all…Sakura is like me…only I was shown a love I did not deserve, not after what I did. I refuse to let her get treated as disposable ever again."

Irisviel had no answer. Seeing this, Loki turned and walked out, pausing at the doorway. "Should Kiritsugu die, I promise you one thing. I will not leave your daughter with your family. You should thank Saber for that…"

* * *

"I beg your pardon?" Arturia asked.

"I do not believe I stuttered, Arturia," Medea said mildly. "This is a decision based on pragmatism. I need all the mana reserves I can get for the upcoming battle. You are a drain on my reserves, and while they are fairly large thanks to Loki, I want to maximise our chances of winning."

"…This is madness. _Folly_. By doing this, you are…"

"Yes, yes, doing something very dangerous, especially for one particular person. But it's not just pragmatism my decision was informed by. It's faith." She placed a hand on the shoulder of her adoptive daughter. "Faith in my daughter's power, in her abilities. Even before we used the adoption ritual, her reserves of mana were prodigious. But now, she includes the Frost Giant heritage of Loki, and my own demigod heritage, for my own father was of divine parentage. A potent combination, and Loki believes he may be able to pass on some of the power of the Casket of Ancient Winters, as it somehow entered into him. Our child, Arturia, is part-divine. Imagine that power flooding your veins. You will need every advantage that you can get to face your old comrade-in-arms, as well as Iskandar and Gilgamesh. In any case, you'd prefer Sakura as a Master, wouldn't you?"

After a moment, Arturia nodded, a little reluctantly, if only because it meant having a child as her Master, if only because dragging a child into battle was a problem. "Sakura?"

The girl smiled, and nodded. "I want to, Miss Arturia. After all, every knight should have a princess to serve, right?"

Arturia chuckled sadly. "…The world is no fairytale, Sakura. You and I both know this, and you learned this too young. And what wish do you desire from the Grail?"

"…I have it now. I have a family who won't abandon me," Sakura declared quietly. "If the Grail is ready when we deal with the other Servants…you can have the wish."

Arturia looked at Medea, who smiled. Not a nasty smile, but a genuine one. "It may be possible that Loki can keep me in this time as a familiar, and he doesn't desire the Grail. If the wish can be granted with five Servants, not six…then you're welcome to it."

"You do not desire a second chance?" Arturia asked.

"I have one now, Arturia Pendragon. Time will tell whether Loki is anything like Jason, but so far…well, at least I don't have that damnable infatuation. Whereas you…as one royal to another…while I think your ideals are foolish, you desire to correct your mistakes." Eventually, Medea drew the petite King of Knights into a hug. "You were stronger than I was, perhaps too strong for your subjects' liking…but…you were at least only led astray by your ideals, not by gods or the treacherous heart of a fickle hero. And you are better than your master. You don't need the Grail to fulfil your wish, beyond time travel. You will fight for your peace yourself. Maybe you will never know it. But…against every fibre of my being…I admire you, Arturia Pendragon, King of Knights. Even amongst us, in a den of dishonour…you shine brightly. I would find it hateful, and yet…I don't. I'm sorry for forcing you away from your Master, ruining your chance for a duel with Lancer."

"…The Grail will suffice as apology, Medea of Colchis," Arturia said quietly. "But…you and Loki helped me bring a child out of hell, for no profit. And if Illyasviel can be safeguarded…then I will understand. I will not like robbing her of her parents, but…as long as I fight with honour…then I will bear the burden of what comes afterwards."

"Good." Medea fished out the Rule Breaker, and a sheet of paper, the latter of which she handed to Sakura. "Now, Sakura, when I use this on Arturia…recite the words exactly. And once you do, there is no going back. You will be a Master in the Holy Grail War. Are you ready?"

"…Yes."

"Good. Then let's begin…"

 **CHAPTER 21 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, the calm before the storm, huh? Well, it's in the chapter title. We see some more humanity from Medea and Tokiomi…and Sakura becoming the Master of our adorable little Saber.**

 **Okay, last chapter, I said that the next chapter would be a while coming. That turned out not to be the case. It's probably going to be the case with the next chapter, though. Sorry. Still, three chapters in a row after five months' waiting. A shame I haven't got the same for my other Nasuverse crossovers, but hey, my muse is fickle.**

 **We're now over 400 reviews! Woot!**

 **Review-answering time! While I am gratified at all the Servant suggestions, I won't really be taking that many. However, those I will be taking will be noted in the relevant review-answers.**

 **Jaenera Targaryen** **: Thanks. I would think of Kirei as doing so rather coldly. It's less that he's a good guy, and more that he's pointing out the idiocy and hypocrisy in the room. I mentioned in a previous chapter about Kirei will be like Avon from** ** _Blake's 7_** **, who did a lot of that, despite being probably the most immoral (or at least amoral) member of the** ** _Liberator_** **crew.**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: Maiya, frankly, needed to die. Partly out of Loki's pragmatism, but also to show what the stakes are. I considered having Medea just slit her throat with Rule Breaker, but I remembered those weird threads she used to control Shirou in** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **, so I used those.**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: Keep in mind, Kirei, while Japanese by birth, has probably spent much of his life in Italy rather than Japan working for the Burial Agency. After all, his first meeting with Tokiomi is in Turin.**

 **Harmonious Arkos Sloth** **: I have to say, I'm probably going to base Steve on the version Jean11089 did for** ** _Dreams and Wonders_** **, a talented but haunted young man. So he'll know how to cook a lot. And also, Kiritsugu isn't wholly to blame about Shirou's means of being a hero: keep in mind, the Fuyuki Fire fucked Shirou up pretty badly. Sakura WILL be confronting her father, as shown above.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: I'm unfamiliar with the TV version of Daredevil, so unfortunately, that won't be on the cards, cool though that would be. And as Deadpool isn't part of the MCU proper yet, along with the rest of the X-Men (rumours notwithstanding)…anyway, I get the feeling Kirei would probably get irritated with the Merc with the Mouth very swiftly and cut his head off…much good that will do him…**

 **PikaMew1288** **: The reason why Sakura didn't go through a full blood adoption is that, well, I'd like to think that such things, even in the Potterverse, use the original genes as a template, and work up from that. Otherwise, they'd have to create a whole new person from scratch.**

 **ShiroHollow96** **: I haven't decided, but either she or Kirei are going to get an Assassin…or maybe Medusa.**

 **demonic hellfire** **: Stan Lee…as Ruler…okay, I was going to use Jeanne d'Arc, and your idea…**

 **…is** ** _EXCELSIOR!_**

 **Okay, Stan Lee will be the Ruler of the Grandmaster Holy Grail War! Thanks to demonic hellfire! You heard it here first, folks! 'Nuff said.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	23. Chapter 22: The Storm Arrives

**CHAPTER 22:**

 **THE STORM ARRIVES**

Irisviel wasn't expecting the arrival of Arturia in her room, accompanied by a girl, a couple of years the junior of her beloved Illyasviel. The girl had dark hair with a familiar purple streak, like that of Medea, along with pointed ears, but some of the face of Loki. But the face was still recognisably that of Sakura, given the photo Tokiomi had shown while making sure she would not be targeted by the Magus Killer or Waver, for anything other than extraction.

"Irisviel," Arturia murmured. "Are you…are you well?"

Irisviel smiled, albeit rather shakily. "As much as I can be, Saber. Is this…Sakura?"

The girl nodded shyly, and both of them approached Irisviel, Arturia's eyes welling with tears. "Irisviel, I am sorry, I…"

"…Are you apologising for being made into their Servant, King of Knights?" Irisviel asked quietly. "For turning traitor? There's nothing to forgive. This is war, and…I learned of how Kiritsugu obtained Berserker." Irisviel looked at Sakura. "…I should be the one apologising to you."

"You're not the one who killed Uncle Kariya," Sakura said, approaching Irisviel, looking at her with sad, sad eyes. "He was so kind, he was the only one of them to care, and the Magus Killer…" She sobbed.

"So much death…" Irisviel said. "All for the Grail. Saber…why does there have to be so much death?"

"…It has been the way of humanity for a long time," Arturia said. "Kiritsugu was correct in one regard, Irisviel. Humanity has not changed its ways for a long time, dressing up killing in pretty surcoats of chivalry and honour…but that does not mean he was wholly correct. I am fighting for the Grail, to rule over Britain, to give me a second chance. Perhaps I am complicit in the deeds of Loki and Caster…but…I promise you, Irisviel…if I am able to deal with Kiritsugu…I will give him a clean death. For my own sake and yours, rather than his. But Irisviel…why are you so calm about your impending demise? To become the Lesser Grail?"

"…Because that is my purpose. Your purpose was to become the King of the Britons when you took Caliburn from the stone, and my purpose was to become the Lesser Grail."

"I _chose_ to take Caliburn. But you…you were born to be the Lesser Grail, having no say in the matter. And Illyasviel…"

"Yes…I know. Saber…no, Arturia Pendragon…if you gain the wish you desire from what I become…then my life has not been a waste, even if Kiritsugu fails. His dreams are my dreams…but so are yours. If he fails, but you succeed…then I will take what consolation I can from that. But…about Berserker…there's something you should know…"

"…I know he is Sir Lancelot," Arturia said quietly. "I am…prepared to fight him. Maybe I am not ready, nor may I ever be…but my will is steadfast. In any case, I fight not just for my knights and my chance to rule anew…but for my current Master."

Irisviel's eyes were drawn to the Command Seals on Sakura's hand, and sighed quietly. Eventually, she said, "Protect her, King Arthur…even if it means your life. And should you survive along with Loki…ensure he helps Illya."

Arturia nodded. "I will. And we will save Illya. Goodbye, Irisviel. I will remember you…"

* * *

Kiritsugu was not happy. Loki and Caster had chosen their base of operations very well, with Ryuudou Temple having a barrier keeping Heroic Spirits out, save for the entrance to the temple proper. While there was no such thing as a perfect defensive position, Loki and Caster certainly chose something that was fairly close.

He was also no fool. While technically they had the numerical advantage, Kiritsugu knew better than to assume that they had the advantage overall, as Casters were masters of making their bases favourable to them. Of course, Medea's trump card, the Rule Breaker, was now already known to him and the other Masters, but that didn't negate its effectiveness.

And Loki was a powerful Magus, one who knew about his Origin Bullets. And there were his illusions. So, Kiritsugu, on dealing with the strategy, had made a deal with Tokiomi. He would infiltrate Ryuudou Temple proper while the fighting was going on, and find a way to extract Tokiomi's wayward daughter. Kiritsugu didn't think that Tokiomi would give up the Grail so easily in exchange for a hostage like Sakura, given how readily he gave her up to the Matous, so Kiritsugu had no intention of using her as such. Besides…while he had no real qualms about using loved ones as hostages, the girl was too close in age to Illyasviel for his liking.

And of course, he would try to retrieve Iri.

This kind of head-on battle wasn't really his style. Still, he intended to sic Berserker on Saber, hope that she was disturbed enough at fighting her former knight to be able to fight properly. Archer and Rider were going to try and overwhelm Caster and Loki first. Archer had admitted that he had a weapon in his arsenal that was good at restraining those of divine heritage, and Caster, being Medea of Colchis, was a demigod.

Of course, while both Tokiomi and his Servant were confident in their ability to find victory, as was Rider, Kiritsugu did not consider this an easy victory. True, he had to win, for his conviction's sake, for the sake of his dream…but he knew that defeat was a very real possibility. Everything had gone wrong since Loki and his Caster entered the field. And should he fail, then even if Loki allowed him to live, the von Einzberns would never let him see Illya ever again. He was certain of that.

He sent Berserker on ahead with Rider (who had insisted on Waver riding with him), and Archer had followed. He followed them up the steps with Tokiomi, a strange, temporary camaraderie between the two men, ready to move heaven and earth for the sake of their loved ones…though Kiritsugu felt that, if he ever had had another child aside from Illya, he'd be damned if he was going to pimp her out.

"Your wife is a beautiful woman," Tokiomi remarked. "I expected nothing less from the artisans of the von Einzbern family."

"You are a married man," Kiritsugu observed.

"Yes, and Aoi is a most excellent and beautiful wife. I would not swap her for all the world…especially not for the Lesser Grail's guardian, given her impending demise. But…she must have a beauty within her soul to match that without to draw you to her."

Kiritsugu sighed quietly. "…It wasn't there at first. It took some time for it to truly happen. And every day I feel guilt for giving love and beauty and a meaning for existence to one whose existence will soon end."

"Transient joys are sometimes the sweetest, Emiya," Tokiomi said. "And to be frank…I am heartened to hear you say so. Kirei was correct in one regard. The reports about you…they say nothing about the man behind them. You are burdened with what you do, just as conventional Magi are burdened with their duty to seek the Root. It doesn't mean I trust you any more than I have to, and I still feel you lack pride as a Magus…but I understand you and your motives somewhat better."

Kiritsugu knew that Tokiomi wasn't being deliberately insulting, just being a little condescending, so he took the compliment as best as he could. However, he heard a twig snapping, and from behind a tree up in front, Kirei stepped out. "So do I…but unlike you, Tokiomi, I do not share any of your admiration. You'll forgive my interruption…but I decided to come out here to ambush any stragglers."

"Kirei?! So you have turned traitor?!" Tokiomi gasped. "But why? What could Loki possibly offer you that I could not?"

"My _raison d'etre_ , Tokiomi. My reason for being," Kirei said, readying the bayonet handles that he could use to form Black Keys. "I may not have a Servant…but I was trained to deal with heretics and Magi. But I won't kill you. Instead, I will hobble you both, and make you witness the fruit of your folly in pursuing the Grail."

"You can't stop me from rescuing Sakura!" Tokiomi declared.

Kirei scoffed. "She doesn't need rescuing. In fact…you should be very, VERY afraid of what she has become…"

* * *

Waver was doing his utmost not to panic, and failing miserably. It was understandable. Here he was, in a chariot driven by Alexander the Great, who was going to confront King Arthur and Medea of Colchis alongside Gilgamesh of Uruk and Sir Lancelot. To say nothing of Loki's involvement.

They pulled up within the courtyard of Ryuudou Temple, Gilgamesh and Berserker Deastralizing. Facing them were three figures. The tall, lean figure of Loki. The robed figure of Caster. And the armoured figure of Saber.

No…there was a fourth figure, just behind Loki and Caster, Waver realised. But before he could say anything, Saber said, "Berserker…I know who you are. Please…show yourself."

The plumes of dark mist and smoke surrounding Berserker faded, and then, the helm split, revealing wild hair framing a face that, while handsome, even beautiful once, was twisted by insanity into something grotesque. Shark-like teeth showed in his mouth as he growled at the object of his obsession, in a voice warped by madness, " ** _Arrrthurrrr…_** "

"Sir Lancelot…" Saber said quietly, her emerald eyes welling with tears. "I am sorry. I truly am. If I had known what I did would twist you into this…still, I am prepared."

Berserker's face showed little acknowledgement of Saber's words, though something in his face changed at what she said. He summoned a sword to his hand. " ** _Arrrrrthuuuurrrrr_** …" Berserker growled.

"Arondight," Saber acknowledged. "A dragon-slaying sword. And as I have the blood of the dragon…"

"As touching as this reunion is," Gilgamesh remarked, "I expect you to win against the mad dog, Saber. I have decided…today shall be the day of our nuptials."

As Saber stared at Gilgamesh in shock, Caster folded her arms. "A wedding? A forced wedding? You pick the strangest time to make such proclamations, King of Heroes."

"The King can do whatever he wishes," Gilgamesh declared. "I don't expect a pawn of the Olympians to understand, especially one that betrayed her own royal blood. From a pawn of the Olympians to a pawn of the Liesmith. I don't know whether that counts as a rise in station or a fall."

"She is no pawn, Gilgamesh of Uruk," Loki said. "She is my queen, the most powerful of pieces. And Saber…she is my knight. Or rather, she is the knight of Sakura Lokidottir. Isn't that right, my child?"

From behind Loki came the figure of a dark-haired girl. Waver recognised her from the photograph Tokiomi had shown them, only…she was different. Different hair, different eyes…she even had pointed ears, for crying out loud!

A faint chuckle came from the lips of Gilgamesh, eventually growing into loud guffaws. "What comedy! What revelry! Tokiomi's heritage has been further diluted in the girl! It's a shame you are my opponents by necessity. Then again…I do not have to slay you in order to defeat you, Liesmith. Where is Tokiomi? He should be here by now, witnessing the folly of his quest!"

"We sent Kirei to intercept the rearguard," Loki said. "By now, he will be fighting them."

Waver paled, feeling a cold breeze near him. Kirei Kotomine had been discussed by Kiritsugu when they first made their alliance, and the man was as feared in certain circles as the Magus Killer, apparently. "Still, your victory is not won yet, Loki," Iskandar rumbled. "In terms of Servants, we outnumber you, and while I would be a fool to declare victory before it is attained, I…GAHHH!"

This last cry came when Iskandar suddenly arched his back, a rent appearing in the back of his mantle. He spasmed and convulsed, magical energy surrounding him. And then, Caster, impossibly, appeared, clutching Rule Breaker as it was stabbed in his back, floating just near Iskandar and Waver. "I'm sorry, King of Conquerors," Caster said, sounding genuinely apologetic. "But well-placed illusion spells and distraction through bombastic pre-battle speeches were all I needed."

Waver yelped as he felt the burn of his Command Seals, and he watched as they faded, only to reappear, glowing beneath the glove of Caster. Then, she quickly grabbed Waver, and flew into the sky, before she held up her hand, and cried out, "ISKANDAR! KING OF CONQUERORS! BY MY COMMAND SEAL, I ORDER YOU TO DEFEAT GILGAMESH OF URUK WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT, OR DIE TRYING!"

Iskandar tried to fight it, only to look at Gilgamesh, and chuckle bleakly. "It seems that we will be fighting each other sooner than we thought, King of Heroes."

Gilgamesh nodded. "Indeed. Follow the Witch's command, do so with all your might, Rider. I will enjoy it all the same."

Wind rushed around Iskandar, Gilgamesh, Medea and Waver, and the now-familiar glow of the Reality Marble began to envelope the area. Loki, Saber, Berserker and Sakura fled, managing to escape the field of the Reality Marble, but soon, everything went white…

* * *

Arturia put down Sakura, having grabbed her to help her escape the Reality Marble. She gestured Sakura away, and met her former comrade's crazed gaze. "I apologise for making you wait, my old friend," she said sadly. "You have been very forbearing, despite your class."

" ** _Arrrthurrr_** …" he growled, before pointing Arondight at her.

"This is what you want? Expiation through battle?" Arturia asked. Something like acknowledgement gleamed in his eyes, and Arturia turned to Loki and Sakura. "Please…do not interfere in this, if you ever had any regard for me. I will win or lose based on my own merits."

Loki nodded. Sakura merely looked at her, and said, "Saber…please win."

"Aye…I intend to." Arturia readied Excalibur. And soon, they leapt at each other, ready to fight to the bitter end…

 **CHAPTER 22 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, the final fight has begun. But what will complicate matters?**

 **Now, I know I said this chapter would be a while coming…but shortly after writing that, I had managed to write two more, including this one, and I decided to sit on them for now until the dust had settled from the last few chapters. That being said, after that comes the finale and the epilogue, which I am yet to write. Still, you'll get two more chapters over the next little while. Including this one, anyway…**

 **Review-answering time! Thanks for the positive response to my decision to have Stan Lee as Ruler. His powers as Ruler will be decided at a later date, though. But I didn't come up with the idea, so credit goes to demonic hellfire.**

 **Akuma-Heika** **: As her father was the offspring of Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perseis (who counts as a deity), Medea indeed counts as half-god, and I'm going with official mythology here.**

 **Tactition101** **: You raise a bloody good point. Kirei would most certainly do that to Deadpool, and even try to see if his anti-Dead Apostle arsenal can do anything to him.**

 **God-King Ghidora** **: Apart from Stan Lee, I'm not bringing any real life people into it (unless they're already established Heroic Spirits of the Nasuverse, of course). Sorry, Jack Kirby fans.**

 **King of Fans** **: Kirei will still be on the Avengers' side, or more importantly, he will stick with them as Loki's padawan. Which, if you believe Jim from** ** _Darths and Droids_** **, is a type of woven rug. I'll consider using the skills you listed for Stan Lee as Ruler, but at the moment, that's on the backburner.**

 **Guest** **(regarding Tokiomi's attitude and Captain America being a cook): It's a little more nuanced than that. I view Tokiomi in this story, and in** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, as being conflicted between his duty as a Magus and between that as a father. It doesn't necessarily mean he is** ** _right_** **at all, but I also wanted to give him more complexity and humanity than I had earlier in this story. I'm actually partway through a new chapter for my Potterverse crossover** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **, where, shortly after saying his final goodbyes to Rin, he comes and does the same thing to Sakura, whom he adopted out to Harry Potter. While his speech is somewhat reflective of his attitude as a Magus, it also has him expressing the deepest pride for Sakura…**

 **"** ** _Both you and Rin will be colossuses of our world, Sakura. While I have no Magic Crest to give you…I give you this exhortation: work hard, be strong, uncover every scrap of knowledge that you can, and when you reach your limits, surpass them. Don't be afraid of your youth, either. Harry achieved much at a young age through his own work. I can only imagine what you are capable of._** **"**

 **Earlier, he's actually nice to Kariya in that story.**

 **While you would argue that he regrets being caught, I beg to differ. While being a Magus is a hard life, I doubt Tokiomi would have wanted Crest Worms for Sakura. It's a combination of trying to find a way to save Sakura, as well as soothing his damaged ego and pride.**

 **And regarding Steve Rogers: yep, that's actually plausible. Good point.**

 **EmperorofCrossovers** **: That's rather sweet of you. Thanks.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	24. Chapter 23: To the Death

**CHAPTER 23:**

 **TO THE DEATH**

Kiritsugu cursed Kirei Kotomine inwardly. The man was an expert hand-to-hand fighter, and while Kiritsugu could use Time Alter to even the odds, Kirei was still too fast. Already, Tokiomi was out of the fight, groaning in agony from cracked, if not broken, ribs, and his staff broken over his head hard enough to give him a concussion. And the moment Kiritsugu had tried to use an Origin Round, Kirei had simply dodged the bullet and closed the distance instead of trying to deflect it with his Black Keys, and as the blades of the Black Keys were summoned into existence with magecraft, it would have helped.

It was a clash of ideology, conviction and of willpower as much as it was a clash of fists and weapons…and Kiritsugu was _losing_. What was more, Kirei was _toying_ with them. He could have easily dealt them fatal blows, even with the Reinforcement that Kiritsugu and Tokiomi had used on their bodies. Instead, he was like a cat playing with a mouse.

Then, he managed to snatch the Thompson Contender from Kiritsugu, shucked the shell from the Origin Round from out of it…and then disassembled the gun. "It's not enough to kill you, Magus Killer. You need to be broken, and ground into powder."

"I've been broken a long time," Kiritsugu said. "You said you've read my files. You could probably pinpoint a few times."

"Hmm…yes. And yet, you were reforged into something stronger, and yet, less than human. Was it when you killed your father? Or shot down the airplane containing your own mentor? Or both? But breaking you in a way that you can be reforged is not my intention. I intend to grind you into powder, and scatter you on the winds of defeat. I…" Suddenly, jewels glimmered above Kirei, and exploded, a dome of violet light, almost solid like glass, formed around him, forcing him to his knees.

Tokiomi glared at Kirei. "We're not…done…YET! Emiya, cover my back! It should hold him for now!" With that, he began climbing the remaining steps to Ryuudou, Kiritsugu snatching the parts of the Contender and putting them back together, fishing out a normal bullet to put into it. He fired at Kirei's chest. He didn't take into account Tokiomi's Jewelcraft-created gravity field in his haste, as the bullet was deflected…but while it didn't hit the heart, the plume of blood showed Kiritsugu had hit a vital area, as did Kirei's collapse.

Still, Kiritsugu didn't turn his back until they were through the gates of Ryuudou, both he and Tokiomi panting painfully from their injuries. Only then did they see what was happening. Kiritsugu saw that Saber was fighting against Berserker…and, to his annoyance and admiration both, she was doing very well. He may have despised her ideals, her adherence to chivalry…but Arturia Pendragon was a swordfighter almost without peer, and despite the obvious distress on her face at having to fight her old comrade, she was holding up well.

However, Kiritsugu was forced to dive to the side when a spear of ice flew at him, Tokiomi having to do the same. And there he was, Loki, though Caster, Rider, Archer and Waver were conspicuous by their absence. But there, standing next to Loki, albeit with different hair and ears, was…

"Sakura!" Tokiomi cried out. "What did they do to you?"

Sakura's eyes, now so much like Caster's, turned to her father's coldly. "Don't talk to me, Tohsaka." Her tone could make liquid nitrogen rain out of the very air. "You didn't want me then. Why pretend now?"

Kiritsugu knew, then and there, that Sakura would never be going back to Tokiomi, no matter what the delusional thoughts of the Tohsaka Magus might be. He actually pitied the man a little…but he found that he felt more sympathy for the girl. Kiritsugu may have been cold-hearted, and he had killed children when necessary…but never without trying to find another way, even with his usual pragmatism. He had been that way ever since Illya was born. Strangely, his anger, while still there, had died down now, as if the fight against Kirei had been a catharsis. Instead, he met Loki's gaze calmly, and said, "You have Iri."

Loki nodded. "She is unharmed for now. But that will change when the Servants start dying. It's so… _obscene_ that the family you work for created such a beautiful thing, and made her disposable, instead of to last. Made her a trophy cup in this war. Maybe you should have wished for the Grail to have her have a normal life with you."

"She shares my dream," Kiritsugu said. "I won't let her desires, and mine, be wasted."

Loki sighed, not saying the word, but he clearly was thinking, _Fool_.

Meanwhile, Tokiomi was saying, "Sakura, please! What did these monsters do to you? I didn't know about the Crest Worms, or else I wouldn't have…"

"I don't care," Sakura retorted. "You want to take me away from the people who cared about me?" Her eyes turned to Kiritsugu, and he knew what she was going to say long before her lips moved. "You killed Uncle Kariya." As Kiritsugu winced inwardly at the cold statement, she turned her gaze back to Tokiomi. "And you sold me to the Matous. Like meat. Rin didn't know any better…and my mother's only crime was being weak. But you…" Her skin turned a shade of pale blue, and a cold wind began to blow from her.

"What did you do to her?!" Tokiomi demanded of Loki.

"Magical adoption ritual," Loki said with a shrug. "Your worthless genes are still in there to a degree, but she's closer to a niece or grand-niece now in terms of relation. She now has much of the material of my heritage…and Caster's. Can you imagine the power now within her? She is a goddess amongst you insects, and you will sink to your knees, and beg for forgiveness, and a swift death. Who knows? You might actually get it."

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Kiritsugu said. "But I've come too far to stop now. Your uncle understood the risks when he entered this Grail War…but you don't. Forfeit. Give up."

"Never," Sakura said. "Daddy will fight you, Magus Killer. And I will deal with Tohsaka."

"Cease this foolishness at once, Sakura! You are my daughter!" Tokiomi snapped, wielding what remained of his walking stick, the part with the gem focus. "And you will obey me!"

Sakura just glared at him. " _No._ "

And that's when the battle commenced…

* * *

Medea watched as Iskandar charged at the head of his army within the Reality Marble, hovering in the sky. Iskandar, despite technically being under her Command Seal's influence, seemed to be relishing the death or glory charge. But then, she saw Gilgamesh summoning something from his Gate of Babylon. It looked like an elaborate key made of gold. "I have to commend your efforts, King of Conquerors, in uniting dreams under a banner of conquest," Gilgamesh was saying. "But you fools have never learned the fundamental thing about dreams: that they blow away like dust on the wind when the dreamer awakens. Every last one of them."

Medea frowned, trying to keep a hold on the struggling Waver as they flew. If she was lucky, using this trump card may drain Gilgamesh's reserves, and render him more vulnerable. But the Archer Servant was a monster, and she really hoped that Iskandar's armies would be able to deal with him. Somehow, she knew that Gilgamesh had a trump card that was very dangerous.

The key in Gilgamesh's hand was activated, sending strange red lines, reminiscent of circuit boards from what the Grail told Medea of electronics, into the sky. It became like a massive tree of these eldritch lines, down which a single spark of light trickled down into Gilgamesh's waiting hand, the entire 'tree' collapsing into it. "Still, King of Conquerors, even under the Witch of Betrayal's control, you are a worthy adversary. Be honoured as I use my most powerful weapon, for it was inevitable that I would stand in your way." The orb of light became a massive…lance? Sword? It looked too much like one to be the other, a strange conical thing covered in red patterns, and divided into a trio of segments. As Gilgamesh readied it, the three segments began to spin, gathering vicious crimson energy around itself. "I will wake you from your eternal dream, and show you the stark reality."

As the maelstrom around the weapon gathered strength, Medea felt a chill run down her spine. _That's an Anti-World Noble Phantasm!_ she thought to herself in horror and panic. _He's going to_ _ **annihilate**_ _this Reality Marble!_

Before she could figure out what to do, though, suddenly, chains, glowing with energy, lashed out from portals around her, wrapping her and Waver up. She felt them tighten, and grimaced. Gilgamesh looked up at her. "And don't think I've forgotten about you, Princess of Colchis. Don't struggle against Enkidu: my sole friend's namesake gets even stronger against those with divine blood in them, and your father was the child of Helios and an Oceanid, wasn't he? I won't kill you now, just make you witness your folly." He then roared, "Awaken, Ea! Here now is a stage worthy of your power! Raise your eyes, and behold, **_ENUMA ELISH!_** "

He swung Ea down, and a shockwave filled with crimson energy rocked the desert that was the Reality Marble. Iskandar managed to spur his horse Bucephalus to leap over the yawning chasm that began forming, but the Ionian Hetairoi weren't so lucky, many of them tumbling into the darkness opening up below the sands, while darkness seemed to eat at the blue skies above…and Medea felt like she may be swallowed up by that same darkness…

* * *

As Arturia clashed with Lancelot, she knew time was of the essence. Her Master was facing off against a man of considerable more experience and skill than her. Sakura had the power her new father gave her, with Loki explaining that the power of the Casket of Ancient Winters was transferrable to a degree, even capable of being extracted. Her sheer raw power and talent was frightening.

She feared that the girl would be caught up in vengeance against the man who bore her. It was like Mordred, but even Mordred respected Arturia. But Sakura…it was too young an age to hate so vehemently.

This Grail War…it had been a trying time for Arturia, a need to compromise too much. Hopefully, when she got the Grail, it wasn't too high a price.

Assuming she could beat Lancelot.

And then…a mistake. Sword pierced through flesh and armour. And a body sagged, blood oozing out, and with it, life…

…And madness.

Arturia stared into the now lucid, beautiful, and tired features of Lancelot of the Lake, smiling sadly at her. Tears welled in both their eyes. "Lancelot…" Arturia said. "I…I…"

"No, my king. It is I who…I should apologise, for making you go through this, all for my expiation. But…I could not stop myself from loving Guinevere…and I could not forgive myself for that." His voice, no longer warped by madness, now just gentle. "But you never questioned my trespasses, Your Majesty, nor did you seek retribution or recompense. You just stood there in your righteousness. But...I needed judgement. Had you judged me in anger, perhaps I would not have walked this path of madness in search of it. But…know this, King Arthur…never doubt that you are the greatest king of them all, and all those who served you…felt the same way."

"…Sir Lancelot…when I win the Grail…I intend to save you…save all of you…" Arturia put a hand on his cheek, an action her dying knight, even as he began to dissolve into motes of mana, mirrored. "Tell me, my friend…should I still have been King?"

"Never doubt that," Lancelot said. " _Never_ …" And with a dying sigh, he dissolved into light.

In another time, when Lancelot's identity was an unwelcome surprise, with Arturia at her most vulnerable…she may have succumbed to despair, renounced her original wish, deciding then and there to change who was king instead of simply doing over her rule. But she had come to terms with that, and her own style of ruling. It had flaws, it needed improvement…but her resolve, while shaken and cracked due to being forced to work for the likes of the Magus Killer, Loki and Medea…was still there.

"For you, my friend…" she quietly said, choking back a sob. Then, she gathered herself with an effort, and prepared to assist her Master and Loki…only to find Gilgamesh, Iskandar, and a chained-up Medea and Waver coming back into existence nearby. Gilgamesh fired off weapons from portals that caused Iskandar's horse to crash to the ground, only for the Rider Servant to get up.

He then looked up at Medea and Waver, and roared, "Waver…for your courage…know, then, it has been an honour to have you by my side. Witness this final clash…and spread the tale!"

Waver, after a moment, nodded. And Iskandar charged at Gilgamesh, only to be attacked by more weapons. Arturia decided to try and help him, chivalry be damned for once, but the Archer Servant was clearly on guard for any other attack, and a number of weapons were fired out at Arturia. "Do NOT interrupt our battle yet, King of Knights! Your turn will come!" And then, as Iskandar charged at Gilgamesh…Gilgamesh impaled him upon his drill-like lance of a sword.

She heard the two converse, almost like old friends, but didn't hear the words. As much as she understood the strategy behind it, forcing Iskandar to do their bidding was bad enough. To have him die…as much as she didn't like his rebuke towards her style of ruling, she nonetheless respected him as a warrior. And to have him die…well, it meant one less opponent, true…but she had hoped it would be Iskandar to face her at the end, not Gilgamesh.

And the lecherous smile Gilgamesh turned to Arturia after Iskandar finally dissolved into motes of light had Arturia knew that Gilgamesh would not be satisfied with merely defeating Arturia. No, he wanted her, body, mind and soul. And she would be damned before she gave it to him willingly…

 **CHAPTER 23 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, the final battle truly begins. Gilgamesh VS Iskandar happened pretty much as in canon, as has Arturia VS Lancelot (albeit with Arturia's resolve not shaken as badly), while Kirei manages to get taken out of the fight. The Jewelcraft technique used on him by Tokiomi is that Rin used on Heracles in** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **. Unfortunately, it looks like Medea may not be getting off scot-free…**

 **I'm sorry I took longer than I expected to post this chapter. I had it sitting here for a while, but I had other potential works (like my latest Potterverse crossovers) grab my attention. It may be a while before the next chapters, frankly, but they will be the last two, posted together. A finale and an epilogue. Also, I've decided that I will post a relatively short interquel story set between the end of this story and the Grandmaster's Holy Grail War, allowing me to show how Loki deals with his family, as well as meeting with SHIELD and the Avengers, and showing what is sure to be an adorable first meeting between Arturia and Steve.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Merlin Pranks101** **: If she's as a Caster, I'll consider it. Kiritsugu won't be participating in the Grandmaster's Holy Grail War, though, either as a Master or a Servant…well, as a Master, anyway.**

 **OBSERVER01** **: I've sort of dropped out of doing those sideways cuts for the time being. We'll have Odin, Thor and Frigga in the epilogue.**

 **Guest** **(regarding the characters): Kiritsugu is a brutal pragmatist who is pretty unlikeable at times, especially given how he treats Arturia, but he has both a point as to why he is so antagonistic, and he has his human side. But I think you are being a little disingenuous towards Tokiomi. Yes, he's more unlikeable than in** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **, but keep in mind that Harry was there to adopt Sakura as a Plan A, and while Tokiomi may have had an alliance with Zouken, it doesn't necessarily follow that Tokiomi truly liked Zouken. I'd like to think that, if he knew about the Crest Worms, he would have thought, 'fuck that', and found an alternative. Yes, he would have effectively pimped her out, but I'd like to think that, even in the ruthless world of Magi, he could have found a better Magus family for her to be in. Tokiomi is, I'd like to think, having his natures as a father and as a Magus in conflict, and in this story, the Magus is winning, as it was in** ** _Ex Umbra in Solem_** **. Had things been different, like, say, if he was able to do something like the Edelfelts, he probably would have shown Sakura the same love and care as Rin, in his own way.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	25. Chapter 24: My Cup Runneth Over

**CHAPTER 24:**

 **MY CUP RUNNETH OVER**

The endgame was approaching. Thor and his mother watched the crystal ball Zelretch had left them, and frowned. While Loki was still as vicious as ever, daring to tear down the dreams of others…Thor and Frigga had to admit that the prodigal son had a point. Peace was indeed an ideal to strive for, but what price was permanent peace? And Tokiomi's obsession with retrieving Sakura, despite what he did to her, was concerning.

And the girl, Sakura…so cold, like her new father and mother, too cold for one so young. And yet, the warmth she showed those who weren't her enemies…and to tell the truth, Frigga was actually eager to have a grandchild.

In truth, the pair of them felt conflicted. They hoped that this was the beginning of a new era for Loki. But how could they be sure of this?

* * *

Tokiomi was having a bad time. Despite her young age, Sakura's power over ice magic was astonishing. The more analytical part of his mind was amazed and impressed. The more prideful part of his mind felt that, although it was wonderful magecraft, it had been given to her by that damnable interloper. And she was trying to kill her own father! True, patricide, and all kind of familial homicide, was an occupational hazard of being part of a Magus line, but still…

And then, he came to a realisation. She was toying with him, just as Kirei had done…just as Loki was toying with the Magus Killer, the man claiming to be the Norse deity using illusions to bypass Kiritsugu. They could have ended the battle at any time. This was no clash, but a humiliation.

That revelation overrode any paternal feelings Tokiomi still had towards his flesh and blood. His pride had been wounded, and he lashed out with an attack that sent Sakura sprawling, whimpering in pain, and she wouldn't get up. And his fury, as quickly as it had come, abated. He rushed over to Sakura, thinking, not unreasonably, that as a child unused to combat, she would fall to the first hint of pain.

He had forgotten, in his hubris and his concern for a child he refused to believe wasn't his anymore, that Sakura was used to pain and misery, thanks to the Crest Worms and Zouken Matou.

The moment he was within range, she lashed out, freezing him within a block of ice. He couldn't move, and only the fact that his face was uncovered allowed him to keep breathing. "Sakura…" he rasped.

"I won't kill you, Tohsaka. And I won't do that to my birth mother and to Rin," she said coldly. "But you will be trapped there, helpless to stop our victory…"

* * *

Kiritsugu knew that Lancelot had died as his Command Seals faded once more. And with it, he pretty much had no chance of winning the Grail any more. Oh, he was still going to fight. He needed to beat Loki, to win, to prove that his ideal would win out over Loki, for Loki professed to have no true ideals, save to be himself. Such a selfish attitude…Loki fought for nobody but himself. Even Sakura was more of a pawn, a possession, a trophy to hold over his head in self-righteousness. And Sakura was bound to him out of what was effectively Stockholm Syndrome with a twist.

Wait…no, there was another way. If he could reach Iri once she became the Lesser Grail proper, and it was primed for a wish…he might just be able to get it granted. The rules claimed that the last Master left standing would get the wish, true, but if it was primed, and he got there…

Unfortunately, he could only use Time Alter so many times, as it put a strain on his body. If he had Avalon, he might be able to use it to help him use more powerful levels of Time Alter, but he couldn't. And Loki, while toying with him, hadn't let his guard down. He may be a mage, but he was also physically strong and fast, and even bullets from his machine pistol bounced off him.

"LIESMITH!" roared Gilgamesh. Loki, distracted, looked over at the Archer Servant. Kiritsugu took advantage of the opening to dash by him into the temple, looking to find Iri. He heard Gilgamesh yell, "I HAVE CASTER, THE WITCH OF BETRAYAL, AND I WILL TAKE HER HEAD! SURRENDER NOW! YOUR PART IN THE GRAIL WAR IS OVER!"

Kiritsugu, even as he dashed further into the temple, heard Sakura scream in the distance, but didn't pay any heed. He needed to get to the Grail, _NOW_ …

* * *

Sakura saw her mother in chains, and the responsible party. She rushed in anger at Gilgamesh, not heeding her father's cries of admonishment. But Gilgamesh saw her coming, and he simply sent some weapons at her, halting her approach. "I am loath to kill you, girl, as you are the Master of Saber, and I have business with her. Nonetheless, I…" Gilgamesh, on instinct, moved his head to avoid a Black Key hurled at him, and found Kirei there, clutching the side of his body, magic healing it. "Kirei…maybe I was wrong to allow you to…"

But that was as far as Gilgamesh got. Sakura, in anger, allowed the power her father had donated to her to burst forth. Loki, coming up next to her, did the same thing, Gilgamesh being enveloped in ice. The part-divine Servant was struggling, and the ice was cracking and crazing as swiftly as it formed. He was being hampered, but while it couldn't properly imprison him, that gave someone else all the opportunity they needed. With a scream, Arturia scooted around to Gilgamesh's front, and then rammed Excalibur, the power glowing on the famous sword, right through Gilgmesh's torso.

Gilgamesh coughed up a great gout of blood…the chains around Sakura's mother and Waver dissolving. "I see…how cruel you are, Saber. To reject my proposal. Then again…sometimes, the most beautiful things are those forever out of reach." He reached out a golden gauntlet, still covered in ice, to caress her face. "But I forgive you, King of Knights." And as he dissolved into golden motes of light, he looked over at Kirei. "Find your answers, Kirei Kotomine." His crimson eyes looked over to Loki. "And Liesmith…thank you for making this game interesting."

"It was my intention," Loki said with a weary smile. And Gilgamesh, even as he finally disappeared, emitted painful chuckles.

In the silence that followed, Kirei said, "Where is the Magus Killer?"

"He slipped by me, into the temple," Loki said. "Kirei, look after Sakura and Waver. We're going after them. I'm taking Tokiomi with us, to show him and the Magus Killer the folly of their ways…"

* * *

Kiritsugu found Iri, sitting in what had to be Caster's Workshop (the rest of the temple seemed empty: perhaps Loki and Medea evacuated the monks prior to this). As he entered, he tried to reach Iri, only for a Bounded Field to repel him. It seemed that Caster was far from overconfident after all. "IRI!" he yelled.

Iri raised her head, and smiled, even as black ichor began to dribble from her mouth, her eyes, nose, ears…and judging by the stains on her dress, other orifices. "Kiritsugu…" she burbled. "I'm…glad. I get to…see you…one last time…" And with that, she choked, gagged, and drowned on the black gunk oozing from her.

Kiritsugu stared in shock. What was that, a poison that Caster had used on her? Or was this part of her transformation into the Lesser Grail? Even as he watched, Iri's body was dissolving, changing into the golden gleaming cup that was the Holy Grail…only, it was welling up with black ichor. And he was fairly certain that wasn't supposed to happen.

Caster, Loki and Saber appeared in a swirl of Caster's robes, Loki holding onto a frozen Tokiomi. "What the hell did you do to her?!" Kiritsugu demanded, pointing to the ooze.

"We didn't do anything!" Caster snapped, her eyes widening. "What is this?!"

"Get away from it!" Saber snapped, even as the Bounded Field shattered, and a veritable tidal wave of black gunk gushed out. Kiritsugu was grabbed by Saber, before they disappeared in a swirl of Caster's robes…

* * *

As they reappeared outside the temple, in the courtyard, Loki removed the ice covering Tokiomi. "What the hell was that?!" Loki snarled.

"I have no idea!" Tokiomi yelled. "That wasn't supposed to happen. I…oh God."

He was looking up in the sky, at a massive black hole hanging above the temple, ringed with blue fire. Loki, when he saw it, asked, "Is that the Grail?"

Kiritsugu gaped. "…Yes. That is the pathway to the Greater Grail. But that ichor we saw earlier…what the hell was it?"

"It can't be good, whatever it is!" Medea snapped.

"The Grail…it must have been contaminated somehow," Tokiomi said, his face pale, and not just from his icy prison. He suddenly shot a look at Kiritsugu. "…Angra Mainyu! _Avenger!_ " he exclaimed, in despair and anger.

"Angra Mainyu?" Waver asked.

"The Zoroastrian devil figure," Kirei said. "Sometimes known as Ahriman. And what do you mean by that, Tokiomi?"

"I'll answer that," Kiritsugu said. "It's as good an explanation as any. The von Einzberns, from what Iri told me, summoned an atypical Servant, under the class of Avenger. Though this is the first I'm hearing about Angra Mainyu."

Tokiomi shook his head. "I doubt the von Einzberns wanted to advertise their failures, especially to their hired help. Somehow, they managed to summon Angra Mainyu as a Servant…despite the inability to summon deities. He must have been an actual person. But Avenger was weak, and was returned to the Grail very swiftly."

"As fascinating as this discourse is," Arturia interjected, her usual deportment seemingly frayed at the edges, "whatever the Grail has become…it is not what we desire."

Kiritsugu laughed bitterly, before looking to Loki. "…Well, you got your dream, Loki. My own…is now ashes. Iri…gone…for nothing."

"…I had no intention of unleashing a nightmare upon all," Loki said quietly. "Caster…how much can the Command Seals boost your power?"

"Quite a lot."

"Saber…" Sakura said, but the King of Knights, a look of haunted despair on her face, merely nodded.

"Get out of here," Arturia said quietly. "Use the Command Seals to boost my Noble Phantasm, Sakura."

Sakura nodded, before holding up her hand. "Saber…no, Arturia…by my Command Seal, use Excalibur to destroy the Grail. And by my second Command Seal, I reinforce this order."

Loki held up his own hand. "Caster…Medea…by my Command Seal, use your Rain of Light to destroy the Grail. And by my second Command Seal…I reinforce this order."

The two female Servants nodded, and Loki grabbed Sakura and Tokiomi, and began running, Kirei, Waver and Kiritsugu following…

* * *

Black ichor began to well up through the doors of Ryuudou Temple, but the two Servants stood in front of it, unafraid. A massive magical circle appeared in front of Medea, glowing with intense magenta light, while Arturia pointed Excalibur to the sky, a golden glow gathering around it with speed.

"Aim where I aim!" Medea yelled at Arturia. "We need to destroy the Grail utterly!"

Arturia nodded, adjusting her aim slightly. She glared at the approaching black mud. She could hear it screaming curses and temptations at her in two voices, the voice of Irisviel and the voice of a young man, overlapping in eerie ways. But she declared, "As long as I draw breath, you will advance no further! I am Arturia Pendragon, King of the Britons, AND YOU! SHALL NOT! PASS! **_EXCALIBUR!_** "

As the King of Knights roared out the name of her Noble Phantasm, Medea fired her supercharged Rain of Light beam, timing it so that it would merge with the Excalibur blast. The black mud, and the entity behind it, had just enough time to realise what was coming, and quail.

* * *

The temple was shattered in a cataclysm of light and fury, and with it, the Lesser Grail. But the energies released by the Servants' attacks didn't stop there. They burned their way up into the sky like a lit fuse, twirling into the sky like a double helix. When it reached the black hole in the sky…the energy was absorbed, and for a moment, it seemed like the attack was utterly futile.

But then, something within the hole burst, and for several seconds, a bright star lit up the skies above Fuyuki, a roar echoing through the city of primal fury. Sleeping citizens were woken up by the blast, wondering whether Armageddon had come.

For some, that would prove macabrely accurate. For the Grail, or rather, the taint within it, was a spiteful entity. As it was burned away, it used the very last vestiges of its power to vomit some of its essences, curses and odium, over part of Fuyuki.

The six surviving Masters of the Holy Grail War, knocked down by the blast as they had fled Ryuudou Temple, looked up to see an inferno consuming part of the city. It flickered in their eyes, as the realisation came to them, that victory had come at a cost. As the two Servants appeared, looking the worse for wear, they watched in horror as the flames spread. And the seven of them decided to go and do something about it, united by a single goal, for a change…

 **CHAPTER 24 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Okay, it was a bit of a sudden ending, and the Fuyuki Fire takes place anyway, albeit on a smaller scale. Shirou still gets affected, but there's less of the city burnt away thanks to Angra Mainyu. Anyway, next chapter will be an epilogue, showcasing the characters before Loki and his entourage head back to the MCU…**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	26. Epilogue: Ashes to Ashes

**EPILOGUE:**

 **ASHES TO ASHES**

Risei Kotomine pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation and fatigue. Covering up this little clusterfuck had been a trying experience all-round, and it was, ironically, thanks to the Wizard Marshall that any headway could have been made at all. Mount Enzo was mostly gone, Ryuudou Temple was completely destroyed, and the Fourth Holy Grail had ended with two Servants still alive, with no winner. Then again, if the price of a miracle was to unleash all the evils of the world…

Zelretch was uncharacteristically solemn as he spoke to Tokiomi and Risei. "The Greater Grail is inert, for now, and given what happened to it, Angra Mainyu has been mostly purged from it. Thank goodness. The last thing we need is something like that accessing Akasha."

"So it was Avenger?" Tokiomi asked.

"Yes. I've already told Kiritsugu Emiya. He tried telling the von Einzberns, but they, being prideful, called him a liar, and by extension, myself. So, I've decided to play a little prank on them. I unleashed Loki and Medea on them."

Tokiomi, after a moment, remarked, "Good. About time they felt what it was like."

"Oh, there's a side benefit. They've retrieved the Magus Killer's daughter, Illyasviel. I've looked the girl over, ensure that her family haven't tried to make her into another Lesser Grail, though Emiya believes they had already started as an insurance policy, in case Emiya failed."

"Loki and Medea retrieved the Magus Killer's daughter voluntarily?" Tokiomi asked.

"Arturia urged them to do so. Loki probably agreed because…well, the Magus Killer is a broken man now. His dream of a peaceful world is forever out of his reach, as it will take decades to try and recreate the Grail War here, especially as we would need to put in safeguards to prevent Avenger or something similar from being re-enacted."

Risei didn't know it, nor did Tokiomi, but Zelretch was lying through his teeth. He could, with some help, reinstate the Grail within a year. But he wanted to make a point here. In any case, he was recreating the Grail on Sakaar.

In any case, Emiya was not the only broken Magus. Risei knew that his old friend was also broken. There was a hollowness to his eyes that wasn't there before. He had finally realised that his daughter wasn't coming back to him. And with the Grail destroyed…a shortcut to the Root was now gone. The only consolation Risei could offer his old friend was that he still had Rin and Aoi.

It was at this point that Kirei walked in. "Kirei…why are you here?" Risei asked.

"I came to say goodbye, father. At least for now. Loki intends to depart back for his home universe, and I confess myself curious. Will I find answers to my existence there that I cannot find here? Can I find pleasure in anything but the sinful? Can I do evil to do good and find pleasure in that that I could not in the Burial Agency? I intend to go with Loki. Should I find my answers, and decide to return, then perhaps we may meet again. Under better circumstances, of course. Thanks to Medea, I have said my goodbyes to Caren and my in-laws." After a moment, Kirei embraced his father. "I am sorry, father, for what I have done to you."

"…Kirei…I will forgive you as your father. But I must warn you, your actions have roused the ire of both Clock Tower and the Church. Going to this other world will be helpful. I will use what influence I have to help Caren."

"Thank you. And goodbye, father." With that, Kirei left, without even acknowledging Tokiomi…

* * *

The reunion between Sakura and her former family, sans Tokiomi, was a little awkward, but eventually, Rin was playing with her sister like she used to. And Sakura felt her heart thawing a little, at least towards them. Arturia sat down next to Aoi as they watched the former sisters play. Loki watched on from a little closer.

"…So, this is what it's like to be close to a Heroic Spirit," Aoi murmured in awe. "And King Arthur, no less. I'm surprised that you still exist in this world with the Grail gone."

"Sakura's adoption by Loki and Medea gave her reserves of mana that are…well, larger than most Magi alive today," Arturia said. "And in truth…because it is a different kind of magic, I can feel myself becoming more and more… _alive_. I mean, I am different to the usual Heroic Spirit, given the deal I had made with the World. But now…in a way, with the Grail gone, I should be feeling despair. Instead, I feel relief, as if a burden has been lifted. I may never be able to go back and correct my rule…but I may now be able to live my own life. Aoi…how do you feel about Sakura being adopted by Loki?"

"…I feel sad. Even a little angry. Tokiomi wouldn't tell me what the Matous did to her, but whatever they did to her must have been bad. I…I dearly want to have her back, but…I let her be sent to the Matous. I should have protested more, I…" Her voice caught in her throat.

"…Aoi, Kariya wanted to save Sakura. He went back to that family willingly to save her. He died knowing she was free of them. He was a good man. Had he lived during my time, I would have honoured him many times over. So many good people died during this Grail War. Diarmuid, Iskandar, Lancelot…Maiya and Irisviel…and those people in the fire."

"Didn't you save some of them?"

Arturia nodded. "One of them, a young boy, he's taken an interest in. When Loki and Medea brought back Illyasviel, she seemed eager to have a little brother. They have just adopted him. They borrowed Avalon to heal his wounds, but the poor boy is a blank slate thanks to the cursed fire. He only remembers his name, but nothing of his original identity. I believe Kiritsugu is eager to help someone, a life he saved instead of the many he took during his career…"

* * *

Medea watched as the albino form of Illyasviel began dragging the redheaded boy with golden eyes around the Emiya household. "You have an energetic daughter, Emiya," she remarked to the dark-haired Magus, who emitted a bitter chuckle.

"Yes…even Iri wasn't quite this spirited," Kiritsugu said. "I hope Zelretch removed all traces of the Lesser Grail from her."

"I checked myself. She'll still be a bit of a slow grower, but at least she'll look more like her age," Medea said. "Those Homunculi who defected are currently repairing the castle. You could live there if you wanted to."

"…No. This is more of a family home," Kiritsugu said. "And Zelretch told me…Tokiomi was right. It was Angra Mainyu at the core of the Grail. And even if it wasn't…it couldn't have granted my wish." Another bitter chuckle wormed from his lips. "Not in the way I wanted to. Iri…Iri died for nothing."

"…She was the canary in the cage," Medea said quietly, deciding, in a moment of kindness, to reassure the man who was not so long ago a bitter adversary. "If it weren't for you finding her just as she changed…things may have been worse. And you got to say goodbye."

"And the von Einzberns?"

"We crippled them, and warned them that if they tried to retaliate, we'd annihilate them outright. Zelretch will be protecting you from any reprisals anyway." After a moment, Medea said, "If you wished, maybe you could come with us to the other world. You and your children would be safe from the von Einzberns there, if they could ever muster up the force to do so."

Kiritsugu shook his head. "No…I'd rather stay here and raise my children. Try and raise them. Give them ideals for the future, to find a way to be heroes without sacrificing the few to save the many. Or at least not travel down the same path I did."

"…You're not angry about what I did to Maiya? My abduction of Irisviel? Stealing your Servant?"

"…It was the Grail War. I am angry, yes. Maiya was a good assistant, a good friend, and Iri…but…it was war. Given what I did to Lord El-Melloi and Kariya Matou, it's rather hypocritical of me to criticise the dirty tricks of others."

"Speaking of Lord El-Melloi, Waver's actually being taken under the wing of Lord El-Melloi's former fiancée, and helping him gain advancement in Clock Tower," Medea remarked, remembering what Zelretch had said to her after retrieving Illya. "The boy has a good brain on him. He should go far…"

* * *

The next day, Loki, Medea, Sakura, Arturia and Kirei gathered in at a park, with Zelretch ready to take them home. They had said their farewells to those who needed them. Zelretch promised to bring messages to Rin from Sakura.

And then, in a swirl of colour, they found themselves in Heimdall's Observatory, the dark-skinned sentinel looking startled at their appearance, before he was on guard. Understandably so, given that Loki had frozen him not so long ago. "A cold reception," Medea remarked.

"Understandable, given what I had turned Heimdall into an ice block," Loki said. "My apologies for that, Heimdall. I wasn't quite in my right mind."

"I will call for an escort," Heimdall said, making it clear that said escort would be more guarding the rest of Asgard from Loki than the other way around. And that he didn't accept Loki's apology.

"No need. I know my way around," Loki said, before striding down the Rainbow Bridge, his entourage in tow, along with Zelretch…

* * *

They were indeed met by an escort that seemed more like a prison escort than anything else, whereupon they were escorted before Odin on his throne, looking down at Loki belligerently. After a moment's silence, Odin said, "Do you have anything to say for yourself, Loki?"

"…What is it that you want, Odin?" Loki asked quietly. "An apology? I doubt that would suffice for what I did to Jotunheim and Thor. I feel contrition, true, towards Thor…and towards my mother." He looked towards Frigga, and shot her a tired sad smile, before he returned his gaze to Odin. "But you also kept my heritage from me. You did nothing to discourage the hope that I may take a throne that was never mine to attain in the first place. Zelretch told me that you witnessed what I did on that world. So…am I worthy at all of your attention, All-Father? Or would you rather I exile myself to Midgard here and now?"

"ENOUGH!" Odin roared. Calming himself with an effort, he said, "While you indulged yourself in your selfish whims on that other world, you nonetheless acted decisively to remove a threat to that world. True, the hands that did the deed were these two Heroic Spirits, but you and Sakura Lokidottir acted to save that world through them. And it is true, I have erred where your heritage was concerned. So while you will have to work hard to redeem yourself in the eyes of Asgard, and myself…I do believe you are capable of redemption. But know that my patience is finite."

"…Why are you so mean to Daddy?" Sakura asked quietly.

"…Because his heart was rekindled by you, child, after it was extinguished," Frigga said. "We want to be sure it won't be snuffed out again."

Odin nodded, before he descended from his throne, the more official part of the audience at an end. Thor walked over to Loki, his eyes sad. "Brother…"

"…Brother," Loki admitted grudgingly. "You actually missed me."

"You doubted this?" Thor asked.

"Given what I did to you, what I am…can you blame me?"

"…True. But…I mourned you. I missed you. Your exploits on that world…and your thoughts on kingship, they have given me much to think about."

"Indeed," Odin said. "Loki…I am proud of you for showing such wisdom in considering a throne and a crown a burden, even if it was a belated revelation."

Loki scoffed. "…I'd rather be myself than a king. Incidentally, I should introduce my travelling companions, even if you have been a voyeur towards my exploits. This is Princess Medea of Colchis." The Caster Servant curtsied. "Our daughter, Sakura Lokidottir." Sakura also curtsied, albeit somewhat hesitantly. "King Arturia Pendragon." Arturia bowed. "And…my protégé, I believe you could call him, Kirei Kotomine." Kirei gave a short, insincere bow. "Oh, and Zelretch, who needs no introduction."

"Indeed," Odin said, shooting the vampire a wary look with his one visible eye.

"…Why are you looking at me so suspiciously?" Zelretch asked. "Haven't you forgiven me for the incident involving the menagerie here and the glow-in-the-dark paint?"

Odin merely glared back, unamused.

* * *

Loki and his entourage retired with Thor and Frigga to private quarters, Odin intending to find something for the Frost Giant to do, to keep him out of mischief. He may have been accepted back to Asgard, but it was on sufferance (as was Kirei, being human). Only Thor and Frigga seemed truly glad to see him back, and even that was tempered by wariness.

Which Loki could understand, even if he didn't like it. What happened went well beyond a mere brotherly spat. Still, he actually had a smile on his face as Frigga and Medea began talking with Sakura.

"Brother," Thor said, gently clapping a hand on Loki's shoulder. And Loki looked at Thor, truly looked at him, and saw the depth of the pain and loss there. He hadn't been acting, Loki realised, when he screamed in horror when Loki let himself fall into the abyss. His thinking otherwise was spiteful self-delusion. "Know this. While I have not forgiven you for all that happened before, I wish to start anew. I have done you some wrong in the past before. You have been a brother to me more than you were a Frost Giant. I want to have a brother again."

"How sentimental," Loki remarked, a rueful smile on his lips rather than a sneer. Then, a little reluctantly, he admitted, "I too want my brother back."

"You have him," Thor said quietly. He looked over at Sakura, who was giggling at something Frigga told her, as was Medea. "You did well, brother. You saved that girl from an abominable fate, and that world from devastation."

"Yes…it seems heroism does agree with me a little," Loki said, his smile turning sardonic.

"You can be a better man than you are, Loki," Arturia said. "When the Grail was destroyed, you could have tormented Kiritsugu and Tokiomi more. Instead, you left them alive and with their families."

"That doesn't necessarily make me a good man," Loki said, sighing. "Thor…what do you think Odin intends for me to do? I mean, to supposedly keep me out of mischief?"

"Father has been speaking of finding the Tesseract," Thor said. "When Heimdall turned his eyes to its former resting place, he found that it has been gone for some time. He cannot find it. I had spoken with him about possible ways to find it. The SHIELD organisation of the humans, the ones who were examining my hammer and questioning me, it's possible that they know."

"The Tesseract was stolen by a man known as Johann Schmidt, the leader of HYDRA," Zelretch said. "A man called Steven Rogers managed to stop the Tesseract from being used as a weapon of mass destruction…but it fell into the sea, and Rogers crashlanded in the frozen waters of the Arctic. SHIELD has a vested interest in both, so you are correct, Thor, in assuming they may know. Still…I have something going on soon that you will be interested in. I'll let you know when things are ready. Toodles." And with a swirl of colour, he was gone.

Kirei eventually said, "Did the Wizard Marshall just say 'Toodles' as a farewell?"

Loki nodded. "Yes. Yes he did…"

* * *

They spent a couple of weeks in Asgard, with Loki slowly mending bridges with Thor and Frigga, helped by Sakura and Medea. During that time, Loki and Medea grew ever closer, their wariness towards a relationship with each other now eased with the lack of a Holy Grail War. They were encouraged by Thor, Frigga, and Sakura. It was, admittedly, difficult. Loki had little in the way of romantic desires until now, and Medea had been burned once where Jason was involved. But the pair seemed made for each other. Bound by past experience of betrayal, done to themselves and to others, of being intelligent but scorned.

They went on little walks, had dinner together, and, gradually, they began to accept what they knew, but had denied. They were falling in love. And they were actually fine with that. It wasn't exactly a wholly healthy relationship, given their tainted souls…but they were doing it, more for the sake of Sakura.

Arturia and Thor, along with Odin, had interesting conversations about what made a king, and while Odin agreed with Iskandar in some regards, he also recognised Arturia's steadfast devotion to her realm. Arturia may not have liked what Odin did with Thor and Loki, but she knew that one could accumulate many mistakes as a monarch.

Upon coming to Asgard, Sakura was healing at a rapid rate. It helped that Frigga and Thor doted on her almost as much as Loki and Medea did, not to mention Arturia, and even Odin. Sakura, in fact, helped bring the royal family back together, even if it was only to a degree.

* * *

Soon, though, the time had come. Odin did decide to send Loki and his entourage to Earth, along with Thor and, as extra insurance against any betrayal by Loki, Sif. They were to find the Tesseract and bring it back to Asgard. Neither Heimdall nor Medea could pinpoint where exactly the Tesseract had ended up, so it was decided to ask at the SHIELD HQ at New York, which they found using Phil Coulson.

It was a motley group that appeared in a flare of light in a park not far from the SHIELD HQ. As they made their way there, drawing stares, Loki smirked to himself. _A Frost Giant, two Asgardians, Princess Medea, King Arthur as a woman, a girl who is part-deity and part-Frost Giant, and a sociopathic priest…hmm, if this was a bar, it'd be the start of a joke_.

He knew that their appearances were gaining attention. He could see weapons being readied. They seemed to recognise Thor, though, as they weren't being aimed at them, not just yet. So he approached the rather grizzled-looking receptionist, walking over the hawk-like emblem on the floor. The elderly, moustached man looked up as he approached. "Can I help you?" he asked, bemused, his eyes blinking behind dark-tinted glasses. "Who…are you?"

Loki grinned. "I am Loki, of Asgard. And I, along with my companions, are burdened with glorious purpose. At the risk of sounding gauche…could you take us to your leader? We have much to discuss…"

 **THE END**

 **LOKI, MEDEA, ARTURIA, SAKURA, KIREI AND THOR WILL RETURN…**

 **EPILOGUE ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Fair warning: I'm posting this simultaneously with the previous chapter, so if you've come to this chapter thinking that I screwed up…well, go back a chapter.**

 **So, there you have it. Wrapping up the loose ends, and, well, sequel hook. I very nearly threw a title out there, but I can't think of one for now. I did intend to end the story with Stan Lee as Ruler being summoned…but I quickly inserted a cameo as the receptionist at the end.**

 **The next part of the story will be an interquel, set between the events of this story, and the Grandmaster's Holy Grail War. It'll be mostly a character piece, with Loki and Medea strengthening their relationship, Arturia meeting Steven Rogers, and the Asgardians negotiating for the return of the Tesseract. We'll have meetings with the usual suspects…as well as seeing the Avengers not only assemble, but gain their Servants.**

 **Anyway, I'm glad you guys enjoyed this story. It's in the top five of my most-reviewed fics, and it's certainly one of my longest. It's also one of my longest fics that isn't a Harry Potter story. If I'm lucky, this posting will send it into the top 10 of my works by favourites. I hope you like the next story. 'Nuff said.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


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